Sandra Eckert, a 75-year-old woman from Franklin, Wisconsin, has been missing since the night of March 26, 2021, when she was last seen at the home she shared with her husband, Wesley “Wes” Eckert, on North Cape Road. Franklin police classify the case as a homicide investigation and have named two persons of interest, but as of March 2026 no one has been arrested or charged, and neither Sandra nor the gray 2005 Dodge Stratus she is believed to have left in has ever been found.1WISN. Four Years Later, Franklin Woman Still Missing
What Happened the Night She Vanished
Wes Eckert told reporters he and Sandra argued the evening of March 26, 2021, about his mother’s will. He said he had refused to contest it and that Sandra told him he would hear from her lawyer. According to his account, he persuaded her to go to bed, fell asleep, and believes she got up in the middle of the night and left using a spare key to his 2005 Dodge Stratus.2TMJ4. Husband of Missing Franklin Woman Sandra Eckert Speaks Out
Muskego police spotted the Stratus at about 3:00 a.m. on March 27, 2021, driving through town. Sandra had not yet been reported missing, so officers did not stop it.3Wisconsin DOJ. Sandra Eckert – Missing Person Her cellphone, social media, and bank accounts have been inactive ever since.4Franklin Police Department. Cold Cases
Her daughter Kelsey Eckert publicly rejected the idea that her mother drove off on her own. Kelsey said Sandra “would not have ever taken a car in the middle of the night. That wasn’t her car, she never drove that car, she wouldn’t.”5WISN. Family Desperate for Answers After Franklin Woman Disappeared Kelsey filed the missing persons report and pressed police to treat it seriously, telling officers her mother would never walk away from her children or grandchildren.6Spectrum News 1. Franklin Mom Still Missing Two Years Later, Daughter Is Holding on to Hope
What Investigators Found
About three weeks after Sandra disappeared, Franklin police and the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Crime Laboratory searched the couple’s home and a second property on Rawson Avenue roughly five miles away.7WISN. Search Warrants Unsealed in Franklin Woman’s Disappearance Detectives took computers, cellphones, bank paperwork, gloves, clothing, and a rifle.8WI Missing. Sandra Eckert K-9 units alerted inside the house and garage.9FOX6 Now. Franklin Woman Missing Since 2021; Husband Cited After Crash in Her SUV
A sergeant wrote in warrant documents that investigators “didn’t observe any signs of disarray, struggle or foul play” at the residence.7WISN. Search Warrants Unsealed in Franklin Woman’s Disappearance A neighbor, however, reported hearing what she believed were gunshots coming from the direction of the Eckert home in the early hours of March 27, 2021.8WI Missing. Sandra Eckert
Later unsealed records contained more alarming claims. One of the couple’s daughters told investigators Wes had previously threatened to kill Sandra and “stuff her body in a water heater.” Detectives confirmed Wes scrapped at least two water heaters in the days right after she disappeared, and scrap-yard management told them the facility’s shredder “would obliterate a human body and that there would not be anything left of it.”10TMJ4. Newly Unsealed Court Documents Detail Investigation Into Missing Sandra Eckert’s Disappearance
Homicide Classification and Persons of Interest
By June 2022, Franklin police publicly reclassified the case as a homicide investigation and said they had identified two persons of interest, both known to Sandra.11FOX 32 Chicago. Missing Franklin Woman Sandra Eckert – Homicide Investigation Wes Eckert told reporters the two persons of interest were himself and his brother.12TMJ4. Police Now Investigating Sandra Eckert’s Disappearance as a Homicide
On June 7, 2022, police executed a search warrant at a home in Waukesha tied to potential charges of first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse. One man was taken into custody and then released. Officers seized a cellphone, a computer, hunting guns, and cash. Wes Eckert told reporters police informed him Sandra’s cellphone had been found in the driveway of that property.13Court TV. Police Now Investigating Sandra Eckert’s Disappearance as a Homicide
No charges have been referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, and the search warrant materials remain under a court-ordered seal.14CBS 58. Police Identify 2 People of Interest in Connection to Disappearance of Sandra Eckert Wes Eckert denies any involvement. He told reporters “there’s no evidence and plenty of lies” and called the investigation a “squeeze job.”12TMJ4. Police Now Investigating Sandra Eckert’s Disappearance as a Homicide
The 2025 Wrong-Way Crash
In late September 2025, a red SUV registered to Sandra Eckert was involved in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 94 near College Avenue in Franklin. Traffic cameras recorded the vehicle heading northbound in the southbound lanes shortly after 1:00 p.m. The driver was Wesley Eckert, who was cited $330 for driving the wrong way on a divided highway. The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office said it believed Wes had experienced a medical issue.9FOX6 Now. Franklin Woman Missing Since 2021; Husband Cited After Crash in Her SUV The incident drew renewed attention to the case because Wes was still driving a vehicle belonging to his missing wife more than four years after she disappeared.
Where the Case Stands Now
On the five-year anniversary of Sandra’s disappearance in March 2026, a Franklin police spokesperson told WISN 12 News no updated information could be released because the investigation is “still on-going.”1WISN. Four Years Later, Franklin Woman Still Missing Sandra, her gray 2005 Dodge Stratus with Wisconsin plate 319LGT, and her remains have never been located.
The family has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction and runs helpfindsandy.com to collect anonymous tips.15Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Family of Missing Franklin Woman Sandra Eckert Offering $50,000 Reward Sandra is described as a white woman, 5 feet 7 inches tall, about 130 pounds, with blond hair and green eyes. She was last seen in black leggings, colorful tennis shoes, and a large navy blue and teal North Carolina Tar Heels Starter jacket.4Franklin Police Department. Cold Cases Anyone with information can contact the Franklin Police Department at 414-425-2522 and reference case number 21-006397.