Overview

Last known circumstances: Stacy failed to return to her Medford, Wisconsin, home after school on December 1, 2000. Official NCMEC and Wisconsin records generally list her missing date as December 2, 2000.

Location: Medford, Taylor County, Wisconsin.

Age at disappearance: 13.

Circumstances: A handwritten letter signed by Stacy’s biological mother, Lori Ann Krueger, arrived after Stacy disappeared and stated that Stacy was with her. Authorities subsequently classified the case as a family abduction.

Suspected abductor: Lori Ann Krueger.

Major development: A felony warrant was issued for Krueger in September 2002.

Possible lead: A reported mother-and-daughter sighting in Las Vegas was investigated and, according to Stacy’s father, determined not to be Stacy and Lori.

Current status: Stacy remains listed as missing. Her current whereabouts and those of Lori Krueger remain unknown.

NamUs: MP4609

NCMEC: 925716

Stacy Rudolph NCIC: M092875679

Lori Ann Krueger NCIC: W493241045

Detailed Case Breakdown

Stacy Ann Kathleen Rudolph: Wisconsin Girl Missing Since 2000 After Suspected Family Abduction

Stacy Ann Kathleen Rudolph was 13 years old when she disappeared from Medford, Wisconsin, in December 2000. More than 25 years later, her whereabouts remain unknown, and authorities continue to list her as missing in a suspected family-abduction case.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children lists Stacy as missing since December 2, 2000. Detailed accounts from her father, however, indicate that she failed to return home from school on December 1. The following day, a handwritten letter arrived that was signed by Stacy’s biological mother, Lori Ann Krueger, stating that Stacy was with her.

Stacy’s case remains listed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Wisconsin’s Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults, and NamUs.

Stacy Rudolph’s Disappearance

Stacy was born November 14, 1987, and had recently turned 13 when she disappeared. At the time, she lived in Medford with her father, Duane Rudolph, and attended school there.

According to Duane’s account to WSAW, December 1, 2000, initially appeared to be an ordinary Friday. Stacy did not arrive home after school, however. Her family contacted the bus service and learned that the driver said Stacy had never boarded the bus. The school reportedly believed she had left after classes were dismissed, but Stacy never arrived home.

The following day brought a major clue. A two-page handwritten letter arrived in the mail. It was dated December 1 and signed by Stacy’s biological mother, Lori Ann Krueger. In the letter, Krueger stated that Stacy was with her and claimed Stacy wanted to live with her rather than her father.

Court records reviewed by WSAW indicated that Stacy’s parents shared custody, while Duane had physical placement, meaning Stacy primarily lived with him and he was responsible for routine decisions regarding her care. WSAW noted that it could not rule out the possibility of a later custody proceeding for which it did not have records.

Lori Ann Krueger and the Family-Abduction Investigation

Authorities classify Stacy’s disappearance as a family abduction and identify Lori Ann Krueger as the suspected abductor. Krueger was approximately 30 years old when Stacy disappeared.

A felony warrant was eventually issued for Krueger in September 2002. Sources differ slightly on the precise date: NCMEC lists September 16, while the Wisconsin DOJ poster and The Charley Project give September 19. Krueger has been reported as possibly using the surnames Rudolph or Verdone.

Authorities have also said Stacy and Krueger may have been traveling with an adult male. In interviews, Duane said Lori had previously lived in or had connections to several Wisconsin areas, including Merrill, Hudson, Phillips and the Milwaukee area. He also told WSAW that Lori’s boyfriend at the time had possible family connections to Chicago, Las Vegas and Germany, although Duane stressed that he did not know where Stacy and Lori went.

A Possible Las Vegas Lead

One publicly disclosed lead involved a mother and daughter reportedly spotted in Las Vegas. According to Duane’s account, investigators subsequently told him that the pair were not Stacy and Lori.

Beyond that potential sighting, comparatively little investigative information has been made public. When WSAW investigated the case for its Forgotten Wisconsin Cold Cases series, the station reported that it made several attempts to speak with the Medford Police Department but that the department declined its request. Duane told reporters that by 2023 his communication with investigators had essentially stopped.

Age-Progressed Images and Identifying Features

At the time she disappeared, Stacy was approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed about 125 pounds. She had brown hair and brown eyes, pierced ears and a scar on the inside of her right arm near the elbow.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has released an age-progressed image showing how Stacy might have appeared at approximately age 23. She would be 38 years old in 2026.

Krueger is described in official records as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and 125 pounds, with sandy or blonde hair and brown eyes. NCMEC currently lists her as 56 years old.

Latest Public Information on the Investigation

The most recent substantial news update located for Stacy’s case was published by WSAW NewsChannel 7 on December 3, 2025, marking approximately 25 years since her disappearance. The report continued to describe Stacy as missing and repeated the request for anyone with information about either Stacy or Lori Krueger to contact law enforcement.

Current official listings likewise continue to treat Stacy as missing. NCMEC lists her at age 38 and continues to identify the case as an alleged abduction by her mother. Wisconsin’s Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults also continues to publish Stacy’s case and asks anyone with information to contact the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office.

No publicly reported recovery, confirmed location for Stacy or Lori, or resolution of the case was found in the sources reviewed through September 2026.

Brief Case Summary

Last known circumstances: Stacy failed to return to her Medford, Wisconsin, home after school on December 1, 2000. Official NCMEC and Wisconsin records generally list her missing date as December 2, 2000.

Location: Medford, Taylor County, Wisconsin.

Age at disappearance: 13.

Circumstances: A handwritten letter signed by Stacy’s biological mother, Lori Ann Krueger, arrived after Stacy disappeared and stated that Stacy was with her. Authorities subsequently classified the case as a family abduction.

Suspected abductor: Lori Ann Krueger.

Major development: A felony warrant was issued for Krueger in September 2002.

Possible lead: A reported mother-and-daughter sighting in Las Vegas was investigated and, according to Stacy’s father, determined not to be Stacy and Lori.

Current status: Stacy remains listed as missing. Her current whereabouts and those of Lori Krueger remain unknown.

NamUs: MP4609

NCMEC: 925716

Stacy Rudolph NCIC: M092875679

Lori Ann Krueger NCIC: W493241045