Search for Stephanie Crane continues 32 years later
Noah Farley
The following is a release from the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.
CHALLIS, Idaho (KIFI) — October 11, 2025, marks the 32-year anniversary of Stephanie Crane’s disappearance.
For many people that lived in Challis in year 1993, they all probably remember the evening of October 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 bowling. 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 thirty-two years later.
There was the thought that Stephanie may have been lost or possibly injured. It is very unlikely that Stephanie disappeared voluntarily or ran away as she was described as a cautious tomboy that was afraid of the dark.
The search started on Monday the 11th of October shortly after Sandi Crane reported Stephanie was missing and went until 12:30 am on Tuesday the 12th of October and then started again at 7:00 a.m. The community rallied in force in the search for Stephanie; nothing was left unturned. However as of 10/13/1993 no clues were found as to Stephanie’s whereabouts, the search continued and will continue until there is a resolution to Stephanies case.
That week was Challis’ homecoming football game and parade. The banner on the homecoming float read “We’re thinking of you Stephanie”, other banners read “Bring Stephanie Home.” Every float was trimmed in purple, which was Stephanies favorited color.
On September 27, 1994, the day before what would have Stephanies 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 pick with red pin stripes suspiciously parked at the Challis High School, which is in close proximity to the Challis Elementary School. Many tips have come in over the years, and they have all been checked into. Many searches have been done over the years.
In the spring/summers of 2024/2025 thanks to information received many trips were made to the back country to conduct extensive searches. Participating in these searches were 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, 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 4’02”, 65-85 pounds she a 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 as a space between her two upper front teeth.