Ohio Cops Find Remains of Girl Missing Since '99

Nicholle Coppler found in home of Glen Fryer
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 20, 2012 1:58 PM CST
Ohio Cops Find Remains of Girl Missing Since '99
Nicholle Marie Coppler.   (Associated Press)

Police have found the skeleton of Nicholle Coppler, an Ohio girl missing since she ran away from home in 1999, officials announced this weekend. Coppler's remains were found earlier this month at the home of Glen Fryer, where she was last seen; Fryer had connections to human trafficking and killed himself in 2002 while awaiting sentencing for raping another girl, 12. "I knew in my heart she never left that house," Nicholle's mother Krista Coppler tells the Lima News, adding that she believes Nicholle wanted to come back home but Fryer held her in his house.

Police, who had searched Fryer's home before to no avail, were finally able to unearth Nicholle's body after the state took possession of the house due to unpaid taxes and it was demolished. Nearly all of the girl's body was found buried under a crawl space, and officials are still working to determine the cause of death. They are also investigating others who may be to blame for Nicholle's fate, including others linked to human trafficking, people who knew Nicholle was in Fryer's house, and others who lived in the house. (More Nicholle Coppler stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X