They picked Will up earlier that night from an arcade before leaving for a party. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. Sorry! Ledbetter said that while she no longer believes her son is alive she thinks about him and the case every day. 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. Through a family member, Foster's parents declined to be interviewed for this story. Erin Foster, 18, and Jeremy Bechtel, 17, disappeared in April of 2000. "You need money to go on the run," she said. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Donations are accepted but not expected; the site remains free-access to all. #searchlist h2 a {color:#222; text-decoration:none; } Those searches were sparked by a tip that came in several ears ago, reporting the pair had been murdered and their bodies dumped in a well or abandoned well site somewhere in White County. It was the last time he talked to his son. On April 3, 2000, Jeremy Bechtel, 17, and Erin Foster, 18, both of Sparta, attended a party. Minnie D. Bechtel, 88, of Benton, passed away in her home Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022. "We've explored all the well avenues that we know of, unless some more information is developed. Drag images here or select from your computer for Jeremy Lee Bechtel memorial. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. When asked by the News Sentinel, Isom confirmed that Foster's ex-boyfriend, Gareth Bradley, remains a person of interest. 7 talking about this. Later that night, around 10 p.m., they were seen together in her car, a sporty black Pontiac Grand Am. How many young blond girls do you think there are in Florida? Later that night, around 10 p.m., they were seen together in her car, a sporty black Pontiac Grand Am . For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. "Rhonda (Ledbetter) does not feel like she has received the full level of cooperation from the authorities that she should have.". Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. The medical examiner has not officially confirmed the remains belong to Bechtel and Foster, but Page is confident they are the teens. He was born November 7, 1982 in Smithville, Tennessee to Ronnie Lee Bechtel and to the late Rhonda England Bechtel Ledbetter. There is no photo or video of Jeremy Lee Bechtel.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. Jeremy's mother, for one, doesn't believe the teens ran away. (17 years old). MINNIE BECHTEL OBITUARY. On April 3, 2000, Jeremy Bechtel, 17, and Erin Foster, 18, both of Sparta, attended a party. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. When asked by the News Sentinel, Isom confirmed that Foster's ex-boyfriend, Gareth Bradley, remains "a person of interest." 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 is a case with two victims and many possibilities, but no crime scene and no forensic evidence," said White County Sheriff's Office Detective Chris Isom. Survivors include: Parents- Ronnie and Karen Bechtel of McMinnville, TN Step-Father- Hunter Ledbetter of Sparta, TN Brothers- Rickey Fox of McMinnville, TN and Dusty Fox of McMinnville, TN Nieces- Cloe Fox and Lillian Fox Several cousins and other family members also survive. I need that closure. No specific tip has led to them, but investigators followed a reported sighting of Erin in 2005 and 2006 in Pensacola, Florida. Try again later. it was all I could think about really. Try again. "I need that closure.". Unless you are experienced as an estate executor, you probably should hire an attorney. 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 . The families were heartbroken when they received the news, and Bechtel's father, Ronnie, told the Post that it was like losing his son all over again. YouTuber Jeremy Beau Sides, who creates videos where he uses sonar technology and dives underwater to track down evidence in missing persons cases, shot a video on Nov. 24 showing his discovery. All rights reserved. Our daughter is missing.. 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. We had several people ID her photo, and one of them was a retired police officer, Isom said. And the families of both teenagers are left grappling with more questions than answers. based on information from your browser. "Just a few months back, we dug up another well," Isom said. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. There are as many theories about their disappearance as there are people in White County. #searchlist {width:100%; border-bottom: 2px #e5e5e5 solid; margin: 3% 0 5% 0;} A DECADES-OLD cold case may have come to a close earlier this month after a YouTuber discovered the car of two missing teens. When two vanish together, the case can be more than twice as difficult. 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.. He reached out to Sides and asked him to work with investigators, suggesting he search Calfkiller River. They also did not follow a recommendation by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to provide DNA samples that could help identify their daughter, Isom confirmed. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Resend Activation Email. Recommend Jeremy's obituary to your friends. If anybody knows anything at all, please, please call, said Leigh Ann Foster said in a 2002 interview with SpartaLive.com. Foster was seen by her brother Will the same evening. This is a carousel with slides. In 2005 and again in 2006, investigators actively searched for Foster in Pensacola, Fla., following reports that she was living and working there. Sides retrieved the license plate from the car indicating it was, in fact, Foster's car, and human remains were found inside the vehicle. [1] Isom said that even if Foster and Bechtel meant to leave, something has since happened to them. Erin is described as 5'8" and 115 pounds, is white with blonde hair and blue eyes, and has pierced ears. [3][4], On November 24, 2021, scuba diver Jeremy Sides searched a lake near the location of the party attended by the teenagers. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. The theories were finally silenced earlier this month when Jeremy Sides, a scuba-diving YouTuber who solves cold cases, called White County Sheriff Steve Page to report that, after diving in a. Numerous theories and speculations have arisen among law enforcement and the community as to what happened to Foster and Bechtel. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. You can always change this later in your Account settings. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. According to a one-page missing person's report filed by Erin's parents, she and Jeremy left a party to pick. "Both of them worked, and neither picked up their last paychecks. 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. We do run into this from time to time.". Leigh Ann Foster said yes. Twenty-one years ago in 2000, Erin Foster (18) and Jeremy Bechtel (17) were last seen in Erin's 1998 black Pontiac Grand Am. We always kind of thought through the years that something happened, but I just didnt know what.. Would you like to offer Jeremy Lee Bechtels loved ones a condolence message? Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. So its a different hurt theres something different about it. "I hope that someday we can find them both and bring them home to rest," she said. We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time. Since then, family members and investigators have been looking for the teens on the west side of White County. Legacy invites you to offer condolences and share memories of Jeremy in the Guest Book below. He reviewed the case again and realized signs pointed to the teenagers traveling down Highway 84. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. "Just a few months back, we dug up another well," Isom said in 2012. When we asked him to take a polygraph, he did not hesitate, and he passed it.". Rhonda (Ledbetter) does not feel like she has received the full level of cooperation from the authorities that she should have. On April 3, 2000, Jeremy Bechtel, 17, and Erin Foster, 18, both of Sparta, attended a party. 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. Since Erin and Jeremy disappeared, White County Sheriff's investigators have run down leads across the Southeast and dug up wells across the county, according to WSMV. Failed to report flower. Verify and try again. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Try again later. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Try again later. Every lead we get, it seems like it becomes smoke that you can't hold in your hand. Online condolences may be made to the family at oaklawnmemorial.com. February 28th, 2019 would have been Erin's 37th birthday. Anyone with information on the case can contact Isom at 931-836-2700; or by email at chris_isom@hotmail.com. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his grandparents, Clifford and Betty Bechtel and Paul and Vera England. 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. Bechtel's mother, Rhonda Ledbetter, did give DNA. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Erin picked up her brother from school Monday afternoon, April 3, 2000. Later. And none of their personal belongings are missing," except what they had with them, Ledbetter said. There was an error deleting this problem. Expand the Memories and Condolences form. [4] The following day, on December 1, 2021, Sides returned to the vehicle he had seen in the river and went diving to film the car. Who are Tennessee's unidentified juvenile victims? 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. Foster and Bechtel were reported missing a week after they were last seen. Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at Oak Lawn Funeral Home with Dwight Fuqua officiating. In the same article, Isom said it's odd for missing people, especially teens, to be gone nearly 20 years with no contact with their friends and family. When it was pulled from the river, human remains were found inside it and in February they were identified as Erin and Jeremy's. ", "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. Michelle Willard. Erin Foster, 18, and Jeremy Bechtel, 17, disappeared in April of 2000, in White County. Please enter your email and password to sign in. 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. 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. Through a family member, Foster's parents declined to be interviewed for this story. Erin and Jeremy left the party and were last seen around 10 p.m. April 3, 2000, driving Erin's car outside of Sparta. They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel. Jeremy Bechtel, 17, and Erin Foster, 18, disappeared without a trace on April 3, 2000, in White County, Tennessee. This account has been disabled. In the beginning, investigators thought the pair ran away together but the years since have made this theory less likely. globalnews.ca comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment [deleted] . 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. 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. The investigator said there are other persons of interest. ul.searchbrowse li a:hover {color:#676767; border-bottom: 1px dotted #676767}, Photos: 37th Tennessee Homecoming brings history to life, Photos: Hurricane Matthew evacuees find shelter in Knoxville, Photos: Church Street United Methodist celebrates bicentennial, Photos: school coupon book kick off celebration, Photos: Bristol in anticipation for Battle at Bristol, Photos: Olive Garden provides meal for West Hills Fire Station No. [2], Foster and Bechtel attended a party that night but returned to Foster's parents' home before leaving again. By most accounts, Erin Foster, 18, and Jeremy Bechtel, 17, were childhood friends. "We had several people ID her photo, and one of them was a retired police officer," Isom said. Jeremy Sides is a crime-solving YouTuber from Atlanta, Georgia who specializes in solving cold cases using advanced sonar technology. Isom said there is one witness who said she is certain she saw Foster without Bechtel late on the night they disappeared. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Jeremy Bechtel (235383836)? Editor's note: This story, pulled from our archives, was originally published onJan 15, 2012. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? He was born November 7, 1982 in Smithville, Tennessee to Ronnie Lee Bechtel and to the late Rhonda England Bechtel Ledbetter. Oops, something didn't work. [2] As of July 2022, the police investigation was not closed, but foul play was ruled out from police lines of inquiry. When we asked him to take a polygraph, he did not hesitate, and he passed it. Thanks for your help! Send simple, comforting meals with Home Chef. They also did not follow a recommendation by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to provide DNA samples that could help identify their daughter, Isom confirmed. Erin Foster and Jeremy Bechtel were two American teenagers from Sparta, Tennessee, who disappeared in April 2000. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. 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. 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. #searchlist h2 a:hover {color:#222; border-bottom: 1px dotted #222;} Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Funeral arrangement under the care ofOak Lawn Funeral Home-Cremation Center and Memorial Cemetery. He was born November 7, 1982 in Smithville, Tennessee to Ronnie Lee Bechtel and to the late Rhonda England Bechtel Ledbetter. If they are still alive, the investigator said he puts most credence in the reported sightings of Erin in Florida. Jeremy was also very well-liked. It was the last time she saw her daughter. JEREMY BECHTEL OBITUARY Jeremy Bechtel's passing on Monday, April 3, 2000 has been publicly announced by Oak Lawn Funeral H-Cremation Cntr-Meml Cemetery in Sparta, TN. Closer to home, authorities have periodically dug up wells in White County. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. ). I don't believe they got out of White County that night, she said. Details of Disappearance Jeremy disappeared with his childhood friend Erin Foster. ul.searchbrowse li a {color:#676767; text-decoration:none; } Since then, there has been no trace of Bechtel, some unproven sightings of Foster, and no sign of her car. However, of Bradley, Isom added: "I would not call him a suspect. 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. Neither families have heard from them, there has been no activity on either of their Social Security numbers, and Erin's driver's license has never been renewed. And Ison said he is inclined to believe the sighting of Foster in Florida was accurate. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Foster's parents said they held off holding a funeral for her when she went missing in the hopes that she may have still been alive. Jeremy Bechtel, 17, and Erin Foster, 18, disappeared without a trace on April 3, 2000, in White County, Tennessee. The investigator said there are other persons of interest. "It all depends on who you talk to," Isom said. It was the last anyone ever saw either of them. There is also no evidence of the car. "I don't believe they got out of White County that night," she said. Jeremy disappeared with his childhood friend Erin Foster. He was born November 7, 1982 in Smithville, Tennessee to Ronnie Lee Bechtel and to the late Rhonda England Bechtel Ledbetter. [2] Searches were undertaken locally, and also in Pensacola, Florida, during 2005 and 2006 following reports that Foster was living and working there. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. November 7, 1982 - To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jeremy Lee Bechtel please visit our. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. He is described as standing 5'8", weighing 150 pounds at the time of his disappearance. Missing from Sparta, Tn since 4/3/2000 Erin Foster & Jeremy Bechtel. Please reset your password. "Both of them worked, and neither picked up their last paychecks. He was born November 7, 1982 in Smithville, Tennessee to Ronnie Lee Bechtel and to the late Rhonda England Bechtel Ledbetter.Jeremy loved music and he enjoyed playing sports in school.In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his grandparents: Clifford and Betty Bechtel and Paul and Vera England.Funeral Services were held on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at Oak Lawn Funeral Home with Dwight Fuqua officiating. The most recent obituary and service information is available at the Oak Lawn Funeral H-Cremation Cntr-Meml Cemetery website. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Smithville, DeKalb County, Tennessee, USA. We have gone in wells, dug up areas, we have used ground-penetrating equipment looking for bodies, Page told The Washington Post. 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