Description

On March 22, 1994, at around 5:30, Frances husband arose, leaving his sleeping wife in bed and went into the bathroom to shower for work. When he returned to their bedroom, she was gone. It was assumed that she left in the family car, since it was no longer at the residence. Frances suffered from Fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by muscle pain throughout the body, and a sleeping disorder. As a result, she had spent most of her time at home in the 18 months prior to her disappearance. Frances husband reported her missing to the Fountain Hill police. Before 24 hours had elapsed, her husband received a call from the Bethlehem police telling him that his car had been located. Fountain Hill borders Bethlehem City in Northampton County, PA. The car was located, illegally parked, on Millside Drive, near Saucon Park, below a railroad trestle that spans the Saucon Creek in Bethlehem City. Police searched the car and the immediate area, but no sign of Frances was found. In 1995 a former neighbor of the Kiefers, Bryan Steckel, claimed to have strangled Frances. Steckel was on death row in Delaware for an unrelated case. His involvement in Frances€™ case has not been verified or disproved. He was executed on November 4, 2005. Frances Kiefer was never located. She was declared dead in October 2001.