By Brandi Makuski

Police say hope is running out that a Plover woman who’s been missing for two months will be found alive.

In what’s being called a “complex case”, detectives say they’re still actively pursuing leads in the disappearance of 44-year-old Krista Sypher, who was reported missing by her husband on March 20.

“We’re like puzzle masters and we have to put the pieces together.” -Plover Police Chief Dan Ault. (City Times photo)

According to Plover Police Chief Dan Ault, over 30 investigators from Stevens Point, Portage Co., the Dept. of Justice, Wisconsin Div. of Criminal Investigation and the FBI have all assisted the PPD in following leads.

“Sometimes people misunderstand; they hear FBI or DCI and they think the case has been taken over by those agencies,” Ault said. “This is a complex case, but just because you come from a smaller city or village doesn’t mean you have fewer resources at your disposal — it just means you have to reach out and ask for them. But our investigators have the lead on this; this is a Plover case.”

Sypher was last seen at her Hoffman Dr. home on March 13. Her husband, Jason Sypher, reported her missing during a walk-in visit to the Plover PD on March 20. It’s still not clear why the husband waited so long to file the missing person’s report.

When asked if Sypher’s husband was still cooperating with the investigation, Ault said, “I’d rather not comment on that.”

Officers search the Sypher residence on March 31. It’s not clear what, if any, evidence was found at that location. (City Times photo)

Lead Detective Mike Tracy is still receiving tips, Ault said, but right now investigators have more questions than answers.

“I would say the new leads we develop are…yes, tips; but also further analysis of the data we already have,” Ault said, adding two of the department’s detectives have logged over 100 hours of overtime on the case in March alone. “We’re like puzzle masters and we have to put the pieces together.”

The case isn’t without false leads, Ault said. Plover police were recently put on alert when a caller reported to the Portage Co. Sheriff’s Office that they’d found a body in a rural area of the county. Deputies quickly discovered it was not a human body, but rather an animal carcass.

“But that’s part of investigating a case like this,” Ault said. “Regardless of how insignificant the details may seem at the time, every bit of information is important and you have to look at them all.”

Ault said investigators have learned “some new things” since a March 31 press conference provided little information besides what was previously released.

Though they are still working on active leads, police are still asking for the public’s help in filling in the gaps as to Sypher’s potential whereabouts.

“Everyone’s got an opinion on what they think happened,” Ault said. “But the fact is, somebody out there has information on where she is.”

“A cold case is when you’ve got nothing to work on anymore,” Tracy said. “This is definitely not a cold case, and [Sypher] is still classified as missing.”

When asked if he believed Sypher was still alive, Ault said, “I’m operating under the belief that we haven’t heard from her, her family hasn’t heard from her since the day she was reported missing. There’s not her history; I think any reasonable person can draw a conclusion to…I would love nothing more than if she were to walk in the door right now. Do I think that’s going to happen? No.”

“Basically, we think that possibility is scarce at this point,” Tracy added.

Sypher is described as a white female, 5’3” tall and approximately 160 pounds with blonde hair and green eyes. She may use her maiden name of Kellerman, or her former married name of Lorbecki. Her four-door silver 2015 Chevy Cruz was left at home at the time she was reported missing.

Anyone with information about Sypher’s whereabouts, or any other information about her disappearance, are asked to contact Det. Mike Tracy or Det. Brian Noel at the Plover Police Dept., (715) 345-5255.