Account
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
Christopher
Lerch
28
28
Unknown inches
White
Male
In the late summer of 1982, a young man named Christopher Lerch, along with his wife Peggy, vanished from their life in Columbus, Ohio. The couple was last seen on August 14, 1982. At the time of his disappearance, Christopher was 28 years old with blond hair. The circumstances surrounding their disappearance were initially unclear, leaving family and friends grasping for answers. The last known sighting of Christopher and Peggy was at the apartment of a man they considered a friend, William Dean Wickline Jr. The evening was reportedly spent with heavy drinking and cocaine use. What began as a social gathering would ultimately be the final moments of their lives, though the harrowing details would not come to light for some time. The investigation into the couple's disappearance eventually uncovered a story of betrayal and violence. Wickline's girlfriend, Theresa Kemp, provided crucial testimony that shifted the case from a missing persons investigation to a murder inquiry. She revealed that an argument erupted between Christopher and Wickline concerning a $6,000 drug debt. According to Kemp's testimony, the argument culminated in Wickline brutally taking Christopher's life by slitting his throat. Tragically, Peggy, who was asleep at the time, was also killed; Wickline strangled her to eliminate her as a witness. Kemp's account detailed a gruesome aftermath where the bodies were dismembered and disposed of in various trash bins throughout the city. In 1985, William Dean Wickline Jr. was convicted for the murders of both Christopher and Peggy Lerch. He received a life sentence for Christopher's murder and the death penalty for Peggy's. Despite the conviction, the bodies of Christopher and Peggy have never been recovered. Investigators at the time did discover physical evidence, including blood in Wickline's bathtub and human tissue on a folding saw he owned, which supported the testimony of the events that transpired. Wickline maintained his innocence throughout his time on death row and was ultimately executed in 2004 for his crimes. The case of Christopher Lerch is a deeply tragic one, where a man and his wife disappeared and were later determined to have been murdered by a friend. Although their killer was brought to justice, the absence of their remains leaves a painful void and an unresolved finality for their loved ones.
Aug 14, 1982
Columbus
Ohio
Columbus
Columbus Police Departmen
614-645-4670
05/19/2026
