Three decades later, search continues for Stephanie Crane
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CHALLIS — Many people living in Challis in 1993 probably remember the evening of Oct. 11.
That was the evening that Sandi Crane walked into the Custer County Sheriff’s Office and reported that she could not find her 9-year-old daughter, Stephanie Crane.
Stephanie had been bowling in an after-school league and had been instructed to go home after she was done.
She did not make it home.
There was speculation that she may have crossed US Highway 93 and was going to the Challis High School football field to watch soccer practice. Sadly, this would set off a search that continues 32 years later.
There was the thought that Stephanie may have been lost or possibly injured. Family and others said it’s unlikely that Stephanie disappeared voluntarily or ran away, as she was described as a cautious tomboy who was afraid of the dark.
The search started on Oct. 11, shortly after Sandi Crane reported Stephanie was missing and it continued through 12:30 a.m. the following day, beginning again in the morning.
While the community rallied in force during the search, no clues into Stephanie’s disappearance have ever been found.
That week was Challis’ homecoming football game and parade. The banner on the homecoming float read, “We’re thinking of you Stephanie,” other read, “Bring Stephanie Home.” Every float was trimmed in purple, Stephanie’s favorited color.
On Sept. 27, 1994, the day before what would have Stephanie’s 10th birthday, members of the community gathered at the tree in front of the courthouse lawn and released purple balloons that contained a photo and some information about Stephanie.
While there are no witnesses nor a crime scene, there was a report of a small yellow pickup truck with red pin stripes suspiciously parked at the Challis High School, which is in close proximity to the Challis Elementary School.
In the spring and summers of 2024 and 2025, extensive searches were made to the backcountry with help from the Custer County Sheriff’s Office, Custer County Search and Rescue, retired Lemhi County Sheriff Steve Penner, Lemhi County Search and Rescue, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Idaho State Police District
Six investigations by the Idaho State Police detectives from Meridian, Idaho State Police Cold Case Team investigators, Boise State University, Idaho Army National Guard, Idaho Central Mine Rescue and their team members and many teams of search dogs.
At the time of her disappearance, Stephanie was 4 feet, 2 inches tall and weighed 65-85 pounds, She was wearing a maroon and white striped hooded sweatshirt with “GIMME” imprinted on the front, maroon sweat pants and maroon and white tennis shoes. Stephanie has a cowlick on the right side of her hairline and a scar near her right eye. She has brown hair and blue eyes. Her face is freckled and she has a space between her two upper front teeth.
Anyone with information about Stephanie’s disappearance, should call the Custer County Sheriff’s Office at 208-879-2232 or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 1-800-843-5678.
