WARREN COUNTY, Ky. (WDKY) — A Smiths Grove man went fishing in June 1999 and was never seen again.

On June 18, 1999, Walter "Greg" Fowler, a man who was said to have rarely missed a day of work, took the day off at Farmer's Rural Electric in Glasgow.

Some reports claim he called in himself, while others claim someone else called and informed his employer he would not be there that day.

Those who claim to have known Fowler said he was not an avid fisherman and that he preferred to golf or hunt.

The next day, his boat was found capsized on a riverbank by his wife, Debra, according to the FBI.

One report noted that the boat was missing its oars and the motor, and there were no traces of Fowler or his belongings. However, later that day, his car was found around two miles away from the boat.

The Warren County Sheriff's Office originally investigated his disappearance as a missing person's case, but the Doe Network noted that the investigation was upgraded to a homicide investigation with an extensive search of the Barren River. The FBI corroborated that Fowler's disappearance may be the result of foul play.

Uncovered, a crowdsourcing cold case tool, noted that, according to Debra, her marriage with Fowler was a "happy one." However, at the time of his disappearance, investigators found that the family was about $250,000 in debt.

Debra and her stepson were ultimately cleared of any involvement surrounding Fowler's disappearance.

On June 27, 2011, she was convicted of setting fire to a Dollar General in Horse Cave, which, according to the Department of Justice, was done to conceal information about missing inventory and money that was stolen from the store. She was later sentenced to six years in prison.

The DOJ noted that, on the day of the fire, the store was scheduled to be audited, which would have exposed her. She was also indicted on charges related to bankruptcy fraud, beginning in 2008 and continuing through December 2009.

Debra is still not considered a suspect at this time, and Fowler's body is still unaccounted for.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/kentucky/kentucky-cold-case-warren-county-man-not-seen-since-boat-capsized-26-years-ago/