SheWhoMustNotBeNamed
Former Member
Missing Since: May 19, 1999 from Lima, Ohio
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: August 21, 1984
Age: 14 years old
Height and Weight: 5'4, 120 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Brown hair, blue eyes. Coppler's ears are pierced. She may change the color and style of her hair.
Details of Disappearance
Coppler resided with her family in Lima, Ohio in 1999. She was scheduled to attend Saturday classes on May 19, 1999. Coppler was last seen at Glen Fryer's house in the 700 block of south Elizabeth Street during the day. She has never been heard from again. Authorities initially classified her case as that of a runaway and believed she may have left the state with a male companion. Investigators are now uncertain about the circumstances of Coppler's disappearance.
Fryer served with the United States Marines during the Vietnam War. He was regarded as an intelligent man with potential prior to the war, but his personality changed after returning to Lima. Fryer faced explosives charges after his tour of duty ended. Authorities also believed he was involved in the murder of his former wife, Connie Ferenczi. Ferenczi was shot and killed at her Ohio home in 1980. Another man was charged with her homicide; testimony during his trial implied that Fryer hired him to murder Ferenczi. The man was acquited by a jury and Fryer was never arrested in the case, as prosecutors lacked enough evidence to charge him. Fryer consistently maintained his innocence in Ferenczi's murder.
Fryer was charged with the rape of a young girl in Lima in 2001. He pleaded no contest to the charges and was expected to be sentenced to 20 years in prison in March 2002. He was required to speak to authorities about Coppler's case as part of the plea bargain. Fryer hanged himself in his jail cell four days after his February 2002 plea. He never spoke about Coppler's disappearance before his death.
Investigators linked Fryer to the disappearance of another young girl before his suicide. Authorities believe that he transported the girl to Tennessee, where she was allegedly taken to Charles Shepherd. Investigators believe that Fryer and Shepherd were connected to a prostitution network utilizing minors. They believe that the girl may have been sold to the organization. The victim's remains were discovered in Kentucky sometime afterwards and Shepherd was charged with her murder.
Authorities believe that Coppler may have been forced into prostitution by Fryer. Investigators obtained information linking Coppler to Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia after her disappearance. Her identification card, her photographs, and a hair accessory with attached strands of her hair were discovered inside Fryer's home after she was reported missing. There also appeared to be an abandoned, dug-up grave inside the crawl space of the basement. Extensive searches of Fryer's home did not uncover Coppler's body, however.
Prior to her disappearance, Coppler began skipping her classes at Lima Senior High School, where she was a ninth-grader. Her mother found out she missed class without explanation at least twelve times in the weeks shortly before she went missing. The school did not notify Coppler's mother of the unexcused absences. Coppler's mother stated her daughter had been an honors student with an excellent school attendance record, but she made a new group of friends a few months prior to her disappearance and her academic performance declined afterward.
There have not been any arrests in Coppler's case, but authorities continue to make periodic searches for her body. They beliee her remains may have originally been buried at Fryer's residence, but that they have since been moved.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Lima Police Department
419-227-4444