katherine lowery
Missing since: February 2, 1999
White female
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5’2’’
Weight: 120 -130 lbs.
Age (at time of disappearance): 26
Lowery has upper and lower dentures.
case details:
Lowery was last seen in Olive Branch, Mississippi on February 2, 1999. She lived with her 8-year-old daughter, 9 year-old-son, and her husband, Sheldon Wright VanHoute. He was not the father of her children.
Lowery disappeared on her daughter’s birthday. Shortly after, VanHoute moved himself and Lowery’s children to a hotel in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He made the children stay in the hotel room during the day while he was at work and did not enroll them in school.
Lowery’s daughter escaped from VanHoute in October 1999 and reported to authorities that VaHoute had been sexually assaulting her for several months. He was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to serve six life terms.
Investigators discovered that VanHoute was living under an alias and his real name was Steven “Troy” DeLoge. He was also suspected in the disappearance of his half-sister, Elizabeth Eisel.
Authorities did not believe that Steven was a suspect in Lowery’s disappearance until he was convicted of sexually assaulting her daughter. They went to the Mississippi home that Steven and Lowery shared. Steven had attempted to clean the home prior to leaving for Wyoming with the children. Investigators were able to find blood evidence in the home; however, they were unable to locate Lowery.
Steven remains the main suspect in the disappearance of Lowery and Eisel but he has not been charged in either case.
Katherine Lowery is presumed deceased but has not been located.
Investigating Agency Information:
DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department
(662)469-8027
Agency Case #: 9911131047
NamUs ID#: MP9672
Additional Resources: