it was all I could think about really. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic, Oak Lawn Funeral Home-Cremation Center and Memorial Cemetery. Add to your scrapbook. Updated 9 times since October 12, 2004. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Information and advice to help you cope with the death of someone important to you. Neither the teenagers nor the black two-door 1998 Pontiac Grand Am, Tennessee license plate number 473EJR, haven't been credibly seen since. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Legacy invites you to offer condolences and share memories of Jeremy in the Guest Book below. In 2005 and again in 2006, investigators actively searched for Foster in Pensacola, Fla., following reports that she was living and working there. COLD CASE: Searching Lake For Two Teenagers That Vanished 20 Years Ago! I cant explain it.. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? He found their car submerged in the Calfkiller River. [4] Sides found a submerged vehicle, but it was not Foster's Grand Am. Online condolences may be made to the family at oaklawnmemorial.com. To name a few: robbery gone wrong; their car plunged into a body of water; drug deal gone wrong; someone killed them out of jealousy; they stumbled onto something criminal and were silenced; killed by local chop shop thugs for Foster's sporty car; one was the target, the other killed just for being present; they simply ran off together. He reviewed the case again and realized signs pointed to the teenagers traveling down Highway 84. And none of their personal belongings are missing.". But we are not giving up on this case.". She does not believe either her son or Foster ran away. One person disappearing without a trace is mysterious enough. They picked Will up earlier that night from an arcade before leaving for a party. The police reportedly followed leads that did not have a connection to Bechtel or Foster, leading to multiple dead ends. When two vanish together, the case can be more than twice as difficult. Middle Tennessee Mysteries is dedicated to shining a light on cold cases, unsolved murders and missing people in Tennessee. There was an error deleting this problem. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. Anyone with information is asked to call the White County Sheriff's Office at 931-836-2700 orthe Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST. February 28th, 2019 would have been Erin's 37th birthday. Visit our, To plant trees in memory, please visit the. Over the years there were many rumors and false leads about the two. Minnie D. Bechtel, 88, of Benton, passed away in her home Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022. When it was pulled from the river, human remains were found inside it and in February they were identified as Erin and Jeremy's. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. When she got home, she asked her mother if she could go out on a school night. After 21 years, 7 months and 27 days, Jeremy's remains, along with those of Erin Foster (Find A Grave memorial #234635476) were recovered from a submerged vehicle and identified on December 1, 2021. Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee, USA. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jeremy Lee Bechtel please visit our. It's surprising how much a musical selection can affect mourning. Anyone with information on the case can contact Isom at 931-836-2700; or by email at chris_isom@hotmail.com. To name a few: robbery gone wrong; their car plunged into a body of water; drug deal gone wrong; someone killed them out of jealousy; they stumbled onto something criminal and were silenced; killed by local "chop shop" thugs for Foster's sporty car; one was the target, the other killed just for being present; they simply ran off together. At the time, the article said the investigation was still ongoing but there was no forensic evidence about what may have happened to the teenagers. You have funeral questions, we have answers. Our daughter is missing.. He is described as standing 5'8", weighing 150 pounds at the time of his disappearance. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. Mr. Bechtel, 57, said his son was a well-mannered teenager who loved rap music and "had a kind soul and a big heart." Jeremy's mother, Rhonda Ledbetter, died three years ago from cancer. Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at Oak Lawn Funeral Home with Dwight Fuqua officiating. Sides didn't inform anyone when he visited Sparta in late November and although he was unsuccessful, he posted a video to his YouTube channel that he would return to try again. He has cooperated with us every time and in every way. Their bodies were found in Foster's vehicle in 2021 by Jeremy Sides, a volunteer civilian cold-case investigator and YouTuber. When asked by the News Sentinel, Isom confirmed that Foster's ex-boyfriend, Gareth Bradley, remains "a person of interest." And she fears that if it is ever used, it will be to identify her son's body. Isom said there is one witness who said she is certain she saw Foster without Bechtel late on the night they disappeared. You need money to go on the run, she said. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Gerald Bechtel Obituary It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Gerald Bechtel (New Albin, Iowa), who passed away on January 15, 2023, at the age of 62, leaving to mourn family and friends. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. The investigator said there are other persons of interest. He was born November 7, 1982 in Smithville, Tennessee to Ronnie Lee Bechtel and to the late Rhonda England Bechtel Ledbetter. In 2000, Jeremy Bechtel and Erin Foster left Foster's home in Sparta, Tennessee, and attended a party in White County but they never made it home. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Include your loved one's complete obituary on Legacy for just $10. "It all depends on who you talk to," Isom said. We are sad to announce that on April 3, 2000, at the age of 17, Jeremy Lee Bechtel (Sparta, Tennessee), born in Smithville, Tennessee passed away. including whether or not Bechtel and Foster were a romantic couple, casually dating, or just close friends as they had been for several years. On April 3, 2000, Jeremy Bechtel, 17, and Erin Foster, 18, both of Sparta, attended a party. Failed to remove flower. Send simple, comforting meals with Home Chef. Isom said a routine review of the case with the 13th District Attorney General's office is scheduled for this month, but that there are no suspects and no solution in sight. ). And Ison said he is inclined to believe the sighting of Foster in Florida was accurate. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. For kids like that to stay gone this long and not contact any of their family or friends, that's enough to make you think something is wrong, he said. We have set your language to White County teenagers Erin Foster and Jeremy Bechtel should have come home the night of April 3, 2000, but they disappeared, along with Erin's prized two-door 1998 Pontiac Grand Am. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jeremy Lee Bechtel please visit our. Expand the Memories and Condolences form. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Search above to list available cemeteries. And none of their personal belongings are missing, except what they had with them, Ledbetter said. globalnews.ca comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment [deleted] . Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. #searchbrowse-right {width:45%; float:left; margin: 0 2%; background: transparent;} Bechtel's mother, Rhonda Ledbetter, did give DNA. When two vanish together, the case can be more than twice as difficult. Since then, there has been no trace of Bechtel, some unproven sightings of Foster, and no sign of her car. If you have any information. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. 7 talking about this. Please reset your password. Learn more about merges. Erin went to a party at a friend's house where she saw Jeremy. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Clifford and Betty Bechtel and Paul and Vera England. Some reports call them more than friends. "Just a few months back, we dug up another well," Isom said. "You need money to go on the run," she told the News-Sentinel in 2012. [8], Both Foster and Bechtel were buried in 2022. If anybody knows anything at all, please, please call, said Leigh Ann Foster said in a 2002 interview with SpartaLive.com. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. "Just a few months back, we dug up another well," Isom said in 2012. Since then, family members and investigators have been looking for the teens on the west side of White County. One tip said the teenagers had been murdered and their bodies disposed of in an abandoned well in rural White County. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. We have gone in wells, dug up areas, we have used ground-penetrating equipment looking for bodies, Page told The Washington Post. However, of Bradley, Isom added: I would not call him a suspect. Oak Lawn Funeral Home 1786 Smithville Hwy, Sparta, TN 38583. "I need that closure.". Isom said that even if Foster and Bechtel meant to leave, something has since happened to them. 2 Jeremy Bechtel and Erin Foster may have been found after two decades Credit: Facebook/Justice for Jeremy Bechtel and Erin Foster What happened to the teenagers? I thought you might like to see a memorial for Jeremy Lee Bechtel I found on Findagrave.com. [5][3], Jeremy Sides, from Acworth, Georgia, broadcasts his efforts to solve missing people cold cases on a YouTube channel. Bob Lowery, executive director for NCMEC's missing children's division, said some parents "are reluctant to give DNA because they do not want to face the reality that their children could be dead. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Humor, Satire, Parody and Writing from Emily Morehead, White County Sheriff's Office ul.searchbrowse li a {color:#676767; text-decoration:none; } According to a one-page missing person's report filed by Erin's parents, she and Jeremy left a party to pick. she asked. We do run into this from time to time. Sorry! When asked by the News Sentinel, Isom confirmed that Foster's ex-boyfriend, Gareth Bradley, remains a person of interest. Now that he can finally give his son a burial, he said, Ive prayed that if hes not on this Earth, that hes with Jesus and with mama, and theres no doubt theyve all seen him by now and know whats happened.. Obituary Jeremy Lee Bechtel, age 17 at the time he went missing on April 3, 2000, was found on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 in Sparta, Tennessee. Knox News reported in 2012 that wells in White County wereperiodically dug up after they received reports that Bechtel and Foster had been murdered and their bodies were abandoned near a well site. And the families of both teenagers are left grappling with more questions than answers. The investigator said there are other persons of interest. Some theories include robbery or drug deal gone wrong, silenced by local criminals, accidentally drove into a body of water, killed out of jealousy, or simply ran away. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Anyone with information on the case can contact Isom at 931-836-2700; or by email at chris_isom@hotmail.com. It just shattered my heart again. The last person to see the teenagers was Foster's brother, Will. Oak Lawn Funeral H-Cremation Cntr-Meml Cemetery. It is a very baffling case, said Knoxville lawyer Tom Snapp, who helped Ledbetter review information and some records in an effort to look for leads to pursue. In the beginning, investigators thought the pair ran away together but the years since have made this theory less likely. 2017-2023 Tribute Archive. White County teenagers Erin Foster and Jeremy Bechtel should have come home the night of April 3, 2000, but they disappeared, along with Erin's prized two-door 1998 Pontiac Grand Am. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Jeremy Lee Bechtel, age 17 at the time he went missing on April 3, 2000, was found on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 in Sparta, Tennessee. Disappearance of Erin Foster and Jeremy Bechtel, "Case of 2 missing White Co. teens solved after more than 20 years", "Two teens went missing 21 years ago. No specific tip has led to them, but investigators followed a reported sighting of Erin in 2005 and 2006 in Pensacola, Florida. "Rhonda (Ledbetter) does not feel like she has received the full level of cooperation from the authorities that she should have.". Stephen D. Bechtel Jr., who took over his family's global engineering and construction company, elevating its already formidable reputation and transforming what had been a . In 2005 and again in 2006, investigators actively searched for Foster in Pensacola, Fla., following reports that she was living and working there. I am just now getting around to wishing you a happy birthday but it's not because I didn't think about you that day. Jeremy's mother, for one, doesn't believe the teens ran away. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. White County Sheriff Steve Page said he saw the video and realized that Sides was using a scan-sonar technology their department didn't have access to. We are sad to announce that on April 3, 2000, at the age of 17, Jeremy Lee Bechtel (Sparta, Tennessee), born in Smithville, Tennessee passed away. The Charley Project is NOT a registered non-profit organization and any donations will NOT be tax-deductible. Jeremy loved music, and he enjoyed playing sports in school. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. On the Facebook page set up for him and Erin- 'Justice for Jeremy Bechtel and Erin Foster'- you can see the number of people that cared about him and share photographs of him. One person disappearing without a trace is mystery enough. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. GREAT NEWS! Burial will follow in Skurlock Cemetery. And none of their personal belongings are missing," except what they had with them, Ledbetter said. One friend tells the story about how Jeremy was always rapping- even performing rap songs during a talent show in the 6th grade. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. [3][4], On November 24, 2021, scuba diver Jeremy Sides searched a lake near the location of the party attended by the teenagers. Erin picked up her brother from school Monday afternoon, April 3, 2000. The two teens, Jeremy Bechtel, 17, and Erin Foster, 18, went missing without a trace in the small town of Sparta in 2000. Jeremy Bechtel, 17, and Erin Foster, 18, disappeared without a trace on April 3, 2000, in White County, Tennessee. Isom said Erin's ex-boyfriend is a person of interest in the case, but he has cooperated with investigators including passing a polygraph test. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Both of them worked, and neither picked up their last paychecks. A scuba-diving YouTuber, who has made it his mission to find missing people, discovered the vehicle of Erin Foster, 18, and Jeremy Bechtel, 17, seen here, who disappeared 21 years ago in rural . Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. When he came upon the Bechtel and Foster case, he determined it was worth a trip to the small Tennessee town to see if he would have more success than previous efforts. [2], Foster and Bechtel attended a party that night but returned to Foster's parents' home before leaving again. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? To use this feature, use a newer browser. David Kessler's top 4 tips for dealing with holiday grief. In November 2021, a man using sonar to look through parts of the Calfkiller River found a submerged car, which was almost completely intact and turned out to be Erin's car. 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