Name: Stephanie Ann Lyng
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: October 25, 1977
Location Last Seen: Palatine, Cook County, Illinois
Date of Birth: September 2, 1938
Age: 39 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 140 lbs.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Green
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Fair complexion.
Dentals: Available
Fingerprints: Not Available
DNA: Not Available
Clothing: Blue jeans, blue knit shirt, and a yellow windbreaker.
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Stephanie Ann Lyng was last seen after leaving a neighbor's house to meet a carpet installer at her home in Palatine on October 25, 1977. The carpet installers told investigators that she never showed up at home and their knocks went unanswered.
Later that day, her 15-year-old daughter reported her missing. Stephanie's blue station wagon was found four days later abandoned at O'Hare Airport. A small amount of blood in the car was determined at that time to be the same blood type as Stephanie's.
Stephanie had recently filed for divorce from her husband, Edward Lyng. Mr. Lyng was arrested in 1992 and charged with her murder. He was convicted in 1994 but has never told investigators where he disposed of the body.
Trial testimony indicated that Edward Lyng planned his wife's murder and had dug her grave several days prior to her disappearance. His girlfriend at the time testified that she helped place Stephanie's car at O'Hare Airport. She also testified that Lyng told her he had ambushed Stephanie in her home, stabbed her, and then drove to Lake County and buried her. She stated that he returned to the grave site at a later time and mutilated her body so that, if found, it would not be identified.
One of Ed Lyng's nephews claimed that Lyng had offered him $50,000 to kill Stephanie.
Stephanie is believed to be buried in Lake County, Illinois. She left behind four daughters.
Lyng is now at Menard Correctional Center and will not be eligible for release until September 2026, when he'll be nearly 92 years old.
Agency Name: Palatine Police Department
Agency Contact Person: Chief of Police
Agency Phone Number: 847-359-9000
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: 1690
NCIC Case Number: M065701119
Namus
Chicago Tribune
Palatine Police Department
Added: 7/22/06; Last Updated: 05-06-2022 - By: Htmlcnvtr
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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