AK AK - Scott, 13, & Amy Fandel, 8, Sterling, 5 Sept 1978

[LucyOso]

It was definitely a different time. I also grew up without locked doors and older kids watching the younger. I think shaming the parents or harsh words are so unacceptable at this point.

The more I read about this, it seems a crime of opportunity. Someone knew them well enough and figured out the kids were left at home. Most likely someone they encountered before dropping the kids back off. Someone familiar enough, but removed enough. I could imagine by how the house was left, stove off but water still hot, lights off, that they went voluntarily. The adult turning off the lights, closing up the house. It could have been a scenario of your mom has been in an accident. Something.

One thing I found interesting is the population and pattern of disappearance in the Kenai Area. Unless there is a reporting error, it looks like there was a gap from 1982-1990. Then a gap from 1990-2005. The ages and gender vary, but I wonder if there was an opportunistic killer out there during this time, then left the area? That maybe they were not targeted necessarily, but were there at the wrong time.Its a pretty small population to get away with this. Thoughts?

 

[BattlestarGeek]

Hello there, I'm relatively new to this site, but this case remains close to me, as I lived in Alaska for 30 years (through 1971 - 2001) and am very familiar with the area of the Kenai peninsula. I remember seeing the fliers and my parents being extra cautious after this happened. A lot of people there didn't lock their doors as not much in the way of crime was going on, but the pipeline brought many looking for work with good pay and with that brought some shady characters. The pipeline that brought the workers went from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez and not through the Kenai Peninsula, but the Kenai Peninsula area was known as "Alaska's Playground" where many would take the drive to these little towns. It breaks my heart to see that this hasn't yet been solved.


Bumping for Scott and Amy, hope they are found soon.

 

[T. Schonfelder]

 

[MysteryMaven]

Bumping
Where are Scott and Amy? If Amy is alive is she willing to come forward and tell what happened that night? This is a confusing case. If she is alive she needs to be taken off all of the missing person websites.

 

[MysteryMaven]

I think the Amy Johnson Fandel people are finding online is a different Amy Fandel.
On the Ancestry site she states she is from Princeton Il and that her father is David Wayne Fandel. As for Roger Fandel’s Facebook friend named Amy I can’t find that. I don’t use Facebook so I can’t view anyone’s page. Is his Facebook still around? Can anyone look for it?

 

[BattlestarGeek]

Bumping. Today would be Scott's 54th birthday.

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bump

 

[HayLouise]

Bump

• NCMEC: 601234

Amy Fandel

Missing Since - Sep 5, 1978
Missing From - Sterling, AK
DOB - Aug 25, 1970
Age Now - 48
Sex - Female
Race - White
Hair Color - Blonde
Eye Color - Brown
Height - 4'0"
Weight - 52 lbs

Amy - Age Progressed

Amy's photo is shown aged to 45 years and Scott's photo is aged to 51 years-old. Amy and Scott Fandel were last seen at their trailer home.

Amy was wearing a sweater, a red and blue vest and striped jeans.

Scott was wearing a striped T-shirt and jeans.

Have you seen this child? AMY FANDEL


Scott Fandel

• 
  
  
  • NCMEC: 601234

Missing Since - Sep 5, 1978
Missing From - Sterling, AK
DOB - Jan 23, 1965
Age Now - 54
Sex - Male
Race - White
Hair Color - Brown
Eye Color - Blue
Height - 4'11"
Weight - 74 lbs

Have you seen this child? AMY FANDEL

 

[Brotherfudz]

Such an interesting case, is the Amy Johnson the missing Amy??

 

[MysteryMaven]

Such an interesting case, is the Amy Johnson the missing Amy??

The other Amy Fandel does not have the same relatives that I can see
On the Ancestry site she states she is from Princeton Il and that her father is David Wayne Fandel. As for Roger Fandel’s Facebook friend named Amy I can’t find that. I don’t use Facebook so I can’t view anyone’s page. Is his Facebook still around? Can anyone look for it?

 

[Seratonin]

 

[bb29273]

the Amy Johnson that has been discussed here recently posted this to the find Scott and Amy page on Facebook.

 

[Seratonin]

the Amy Johnson that has been discussed here recently posted this to the find Scott and Amy page on Facebook.

Yea ive seen her in the comments on FB pissed. Lol

 

[MysteryMaven]

She should be left alone. She isn’t the missing Amy.

 

[Sleuth91]

Bumping this thread for Amy and Scott.

 

[SAMS]

Following. What a fascinating case.

 

[Richard]

Amy Lee Fandel

Amy, circa 1978; Age-progression to age 46 (circa 2016)

• Missing Since 09/05/1978
• Missing From Sterling, Alaska
• Classification Non-Family Abduction
• Sex Female
• Race White
• Date of Birth 08/25/1970 (50)
• Age 8 years old
• Height and Weight 4'0, 52 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A sweater, a red and a blue vest and striped jeans.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian female. Blonde hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance

Amy and her older brother, Scott, were last seen during the evening hours of September 4, 1978. They had been at Good Time Charlie's, a bar/restaurant in Sterling, until approximately 10:00 p.m. that night with their mother, Margaret, and a visiting aunt, Margaret's sister Cathy Schonfelder. The women brought Scott and Amy back to their cabin at that time and then returned to the bar by themselves.

The cabin the Fandels lived in had two bedrooms and was located in a rural, heavily wooded area off Scout Lake Road, half a mile from Sterling Highway, and south of Sterling. It had a single bright streetlight out front. The front door lock did not work. (The cabin burned down several years after the Fandel children's disappearances.)

Scott and Amy visited their next-door neighbors, the Lupton family, after their mother and aunt dropped them off. They were very close to the Lupton children and walked with them to school each day. After playing with the Luptons, they went home again. A neighbor passing by at 11:45 p.m. noticed lights on in the Fandels' cabin.

Margaret and Cathy arrived back home between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. on September 5, 1978 to find the lights out. This is unusual; Scott and Amy were afraid of the dark and usually left the lights on at night.

A package of macaroni and an open can of tomatoes sat on the kitchen counter, and a pot of water was boiling on the stove. It appeared as if Scott had been interrupted in the process of preparing a macaroni snack, which he liked to eat before bed. Assuming that the children were sleeping at the Luptons' house, Margaret and Cathy retired for the night.

Margaret left for work at approximately 8:30 a.m. that morning; Cathy awoke at 12:00 p.m. and assumed Scott and Amy were at school for the day. Margaret tried to call Amy at school that morning and was told the child hadn't arrived. She became worried, but her boss would not left her leave work.

The Lupton children arrived at the Fandels' home after school and inquired as to Scott and Amy's whereabouts. Cathy learned that neither child had attended classes that day, nor had they spent the night at the neighbor's house. She called Margaret, who immediately summoned the police.

Scott and Amy have never been seen again. Bullet casings were later found outside the cabin; it is unknown if they have anything to do with the children's disappearances.

Margaret moved to Illinois after her children's disappearances. Scott's biological father also lives in Illinois. The children's maternal uncle, Terry Schonfelder, believes Amy's father, Roger D. Fandel, may be involved in her and her brother's disappearances.

Roger left Margaret and the children in January 1978, nine months prior to Scott and Amy's disappearances, and moved to Arizona. Margaret tried to reach him immediately after Scott and Amy vanished but could not, although his relatives whom she spoke to said he did not know the children's whereabouts. Shortly after their abductions, Roger flew to Alaska to assist in the search for them.

Years after the children's disappearances, a woman who had been Roger's girlfriend in 1978 allegedly asked for $5,000 from Roger's uncle in exchange for her telling him the children's fates. Roger has not been charged in connection with Scott and Amy's apparent abductions, however, and neither has anyone else.

Investigators considered him a suspect in the cases for many years, but no longer believe he was involved.

Terry believes Amy is alive and living in Anchorage, Alaska; Lompoc, California; or Drummond, Montana, but that Scott was killed shortly after being abducted. No evidence has been found to support any theory.

Scott and Amy's cases remain unsolved.

Investigating Agency

• Alaska State Troopers 907-262-4453

Source Information

• The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Help Find Scott and Amy Fandel
• NewsLibrary
• Amy Lee Fandel – The Charley Project

 

[Richard]

Scott Curtis Fandel

Scott, circa 1978; Age-progression to age 46 (circa 2011)

• Missing Since 09/05/1978
• Missing From Sterling, Alaska
• Classification Non-Family Abduction
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 01/23/1965 (55)
• Age 13 years old
• Height and Weight 4'11, 74 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A striped t-shirt and jeans.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes.

Details of Disappearance

Scott and his younger sister, Amy, were last seen during the evening hours of September 4, 1978. They had been at Good Time Charlie's, a bar/restaurant in Sterling, until approximately 10:00 p.m. that night with their mother, Margaret, and a visiting aunt, Margaret's sister Cathy Schonfelder. The women brought Scott and Amy back to their cabin at that time and then returned to the bar by themselves.

The cabin the Fandels lived in had two bedrooms and was located in a rural, heavily wooded area off Scout Lake Road, half a mile from Sterling Highway, and south of Sterling. It had a single bright streetlight out front. The front door lock did not work. (The cabin burned down several years after the Fandel children's disappearances.)

Scott and Amy visited their next-door neighbors, the Lupton family, after their mother and aunt dropped them off. They were very close to the Lupton children and walked with them to school each day. After playing with the Luptons, they went home again. A neighbor passing by at 11:45 p.m. noticed lights on in the Fandels' cabin.

Margaret and Cathy arrived back home between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. on September 5, 1978 to find the lights out. This is unusual; Scott and Amy were afraid of the dark and usually left the lights on at night.

A package of macaroni and an open can of tomatoes sat on the kitchen counter, and a pot of water was boiling on the stove. It appeared as if Scott had been interrupted in the process of preparing a macaroni snack, which he liked to eat before bed. Assuming that the children were sleeping at the Luptons' house, Margaret and Cathy retired for the night.

Margaret left for work at approximately 8:30 a.m. that morning; Cathy awoke at 12:00 p.m. and assumed Scott and Amy were at school for the day. Margaret tried to call Amy at school that morning and was told the child hadn't arrived. She became worried, but her boss would not left her leave work.

The Lupton children arrived at the Fandels' home after school and inquired as to Scott and Amy's whereabouts. Cathy learned that neither child had attended classes that day, nor had they spent the night at the neighbor's house. She called Margaret, who immediately summoned the police.

Scott and Amy have never been seen again. Bullet casings were later found outside the cabin; it is unknown if they have anything to do with the children's disappearances.

Margaret moved to Illinois after her children's disappearances. Scott's biological father also lives in Illinois. The children's maternal uncle, Terry Schonfelder, believes Amy's father, Roger D. Fandel, may be involved in her and her brother's disappearances.

Roger left Margaret and the children in January 1978, nine months prior to Scott and Amy's disappearances, and moved to Arizona. Margaret tried to reach him immediately after Scott and Amy vanished but could not, although his relatives whom she spoke to said he did not know the children's whereabouts. Shortly after their abductions, Roger flew to Alaska to assist in the search for them.

Years after the children's disappearances, a woman who had been Roger's girlfriend in 1978 allegedly asked for $5,000 from Roger's uncle in exchange for her telling him the children's fates. Roger has not been charged in connection with Scott and Amy's apparent abductions, however, and neither has anyone else.

Investigators considered him a suspect in the cases for many years, but no longer believe he was involved.

Terry believes Amy is alive and living in Anchorage, Alaska; Lompoc, California; or Drummond, Montana, but that Scott was killed shortly after being abducted. No evidence has been found to support any theory.

Scott and Amy's cases remain unsolved.

Investigating Agency

• Alaska State Troopers 907-262-4453

Source Information

• The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• Help Find Scott and Amy Fandel
• NewsLibrary
• Scott Curtis Fandel – The Charley Project

 

[SAMS]

I get the feeling of an opportunistic predator that lived close by and watched the moms activities/timelines. These kids were apparently home alone quite late, no lock on front door, clearly taking care of themselves to an extent. Baffling, sad and a recipe for disaster. Even in the 70’s. MOO

 

[ekardh]

I get the feeling of an opportunistic predator that lived close by and watched the moms activities/timelines. These kids were apparently home alone quite late, no lock on front door, clearly taking care of themselves to an extent. Baffling, sad and a recipe for disaster. Even in the 70’s. MOO

I agree with you. I know there is some suspicion that they were abducted by Amy's father, but how was he to know the kids would be home alone that night? As far as I know, he wasn't local to the area. Like you, I think they were taken by an opportunistic sexual predator.