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Elizabeth "Liz" Syperda went missing over 22 years ago in July 2000 from Mount Pleasant in Henry County, Iowa. Liz Syperda was never heard from or found after that. Her mysterious disappearance was like an open wound for the tight-knit community, which only fully healed nearly 18 years after she disappeared.
In November 2017, her former estranged husband, Michael Syperda, was arrested in connection to her disappearance, which picked up speed as a full-fledged case of homicide. In June of the following year, a judge found Michael guilty of first-degree murder in Liz's cold case and sentenced him to life in prison without parole.
Now, a few years after the sentencing, Murder in the Heartland on Investigation Discovery is set to revisit the case of Liz Syperda, whose body was never found but whose alleged killer was somehow apprehended after years of digging. The episode, titled Murder is Unpleasant, will air on Thursday, August 25, 2022, at 8 pm ET.
The synopsis states:
"A roommate reports 22-year-old Liz Syperda missing, shocking the community of Mount Pleasant, Iowa; some wonder if Liz merely left town without telling anyone, but family and friends know something far more disastrous occurred."
Liz Syperda was a babysitter before marrying Michael Syperda
Long before becoming Liz Syperda, young Elizabeth lived with her family in the northern California town of Truckee in a house right across from the Syperda family, consisting of Michael, his wife and two kids. The victim, who was just a teenager, was their babysitter.
At the age of 17, Liz followed the couple to Iowa despite her mother, Donna Forshee's unsuccessful attempts to stop her daughter from leaving. She then got involved with Michael Syperda romantically after he divorced his wife. However, according to sources, the romance quickly fizzled out.
On multiple occasions in the weeks, months, and possibly even years leading up to Liz's disappearance, Syperda was overheard making threats to her. It started in 1998, before their marriage, when she temporarily left him to reside with her friend Harper Tracey. In 2000, when she returned to California to attend her brother's graduation, Syperda blackmailed her over the phone, threatening to kill her loved ones.
In his ruling, Judge Mark Kruse, who sentenced Michael Syperba, reportedly stated:
"When a person, without equivocation, repeatedly threatens another with great injury and death in these circumstances, it shows a clear motive and intent. If a person keeps threatening to kill another person, these words are not merely words but express an intent to do a particular act."
Liz returned to Iowa only to move in with her ex-girlfriend Sara Thomas Beckman after leaving Syperda. According to Beckman, Syperda phoned on the night of July 16, 2000, and Liz went missing the following day. Beckman, concerned, then informed authorities of the 22-year-old's disappearance.
Findings in Liz Syperda's case led police to her estranged husband
Sara Beckman, Liz's roommate at the time, was the last person to have seen or interacted with her. When she filed a missing report, authorities had no idea of the shocking discoveries they would make over the years. Although her remains were never found, those close to the victim knew that Liz Syperda's story was more than just a missing person's case.
Liz's belongings were reportedly left untouched, and she failed to collect her paycheck. Her bank account also remained unused. Consequently, it became increasingly obvious that there was more to the situation. During the investigation, authorities interrogated Michael, who wasn't cooperative at all, and soon learned that he had previously physically fought with and assaulted Elizabeth and Sara.
Elizabeth's ring, which was an important piece of jewellery for her, was discovered in Michael's house by the police. They raised suspicions when he was unable to provide an explanation for how it got there. They also discovered, after acquiring phone records, that Michael had unexpectedly stopped calling Liz around the same time that she went missing.
Nevertheless, the investigation eventually came to a halt because there was no body or any solid proof linking Michael to Liz Syperda's disappearance and alleged murder. After the case was revived in 2017, Michael was finally arrested. The following year, he was found guilty and sentenced to prison.
Learn more about Liz Syperda's 2000 case on ID's Murder in the Heartland this Thursday, August 25, 2022, at 8 pm ET.
