Left: Scott circa, 1978
Right: Age Progressed to age 51
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: September 5, 1978
Missing From: Sterling, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
Classification: Non-Family Abduction
Date Of Birth: January 23, 1965
Age: 13 years old
Height and Weight: 4’11” and 74 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian Male, Brown hair, Blue eyes
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A striped t-shirt and a pair of jeans
NCMEC Number: 601234
Details of Disappearance
Scott was last seen with his sister, Amy, on September 5th 1978. They were last seen the evening before by their mother and aunt. They were at a bar/restaurant known as Good Time Charlie’s. At around 10:00 pm, the children were dropped off at their home. It was located in a heavily wooded area off of Scout Lake Road. A street light was usually lit in the front of the house. The house did not have a working lock on it which mean’t anyone could enter the home. The children visited the Lupton children. They were their next door neighbors and closest friends. They walked to school everyday together. After they were finished playing they returned to the residence. The children were never seen again.
Their mother, Margaret, and aunt, Cathy, returned to the residence between 2:00 am or 3:00 am. They noted that the lights were out. This was unusual as both Amy and Scott were afraid of the dark and usually left the lights on at night. A package of macaroni and a can of tomatoes lay open on the counter. Scott usually had a snack of macaroni before bed.
A pot of water was boiling and it seemed as though he had been disrupted while making it. His mother assumed the two had spent the night at the Lupton house so she retired to bed. She went to work at 8:30 am.
Cathy assumed that both children were at school for the day. When Margaret tried to phone Amy at school, the teacher or principal stated that neither child was at school. She was worried but she could not leave work. Their aunt also got worried when the Lupton children came to the Fandel residence and inquired to where Amy and Scott were. They stated the two never arrived at school and never spent the night at their home. The police were immediately notified of the Fandel children disappearance.
The police immediately assumed that something bad must’ve happened to the two children. It’s been believed for years that both children were abducted from their residence. Only one person has ever been named in the disappearances and that is Amy’s biological father, Roger Fandel. Authorities believed he may have been involved in the cases. He was never charged with there presumed abductions though and there is no evidence pointing to their fates. A girlfriend of Rogers came forward and requested a big amount of money in exchange for a well explained description of the children’s fate. Roger was eventually deemed as an unlikely suspect.
The children’s maternal uncle, Terry, believes that Amy is alive and lives somewhere else and is not aware that she was abducted. He believes that Scott was killed shortly after the kidnapping.
Scott was an eighth grader and described as an average student at the time of his disappearance. He was described as street smart, a prankster, and was very protective of Amy.
The case remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Alaska State Troopers 907-262-4453
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children