Three months after Plover mother of three reported missing, police say they’re still uncovering clues

By Brandi Makuski

Plover police say the case of a Plover woman who has been missing for three months remains one of the department’s top priorities.

Krista Sypher, a 44-year-old educational assistant with the Stevens Point School District, 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 Police Dept. on March 20. It’s still not clear why the husband waited so long to file the missing person’s report. 

“This is far, far from a cold case,” Police Chief Dan Ault said on Wednesday, adding his dept. has released as many details to the public as possible without damaging the investigation, or any court case that could emerge later. “But I can tell you there hasn’t been a lull in this case and there’s no shortage of data to process.”

Shortly after Krista Sypher’s disappearance was reported, local police called in several outside agencies to assist with the investigation, which included a nine-hour search of the family’s Hoffman Dr. apartment on March 31. Jason Sypher and the couple’s two children moved out of the apartment soon after, Ault said.

“It was well-known we covered the scene — the media was there — and the entire apartment was processed as a scene,” he said, but declined to say what, if any, evidence was gathered during the search.

When asked if Jason Sypher had been eliminated as a suspect in his wife’s disappearance, Ault said, “No,” and declined to say if he was currently cooperating with the investigation.

The case is a primary focus for Det. Mike Tracy, Ault said, and with the exception of emergency cases involving child abuse or similar urgent situations, the Sypher case takes up “the bulk of his time, along with Detective [Brian] Noel’s, for the matter, along with Capt. [Gary] Widder.”

“We’re still talking to the same people, and we’re getting more information all the time,” Tracy said, adding the Dept. of Criminal Investigation, along with state and local police, as well as the FBI continue to assist the PPD.

Krista Sypher’s social media presence was “one of the first things we looked at,” Tracy said, adding it’s not likely she left state, as most of her family is in the central Wisconsin area and he vehicle remained at the family’s home after she disappeared.

Some of her clothing was also reportedly missing from the home, and her cell phone has been turned off since she went missing. 

Ault said the dept. has received a few tips from callers who reported spotting a woman resembling Sypher, but none recently, and none which panned out. 

“She’s had no contact with any friends or family since the day she went missing,” Ault said. “Do I wish she’d just come walking through that door right now and we knew she was OK? Yes. Do I think that’s going to happen? No. But we’re going to find Krista; we’re going to solve this. It’s just a matter of time.”

Krista Sypher is 5’3″ and 160 pounds with blonde hair and green eyes. Anyone with information should contact Det. Mike Tracy or Det. Brian Noel (715) 345-5255.