Faith Nanette Lippe Missing Person Case

Jan 27, 2026

Jan 27, 2026

Faith

Nanette Lippe

67

50

5'8 inches

130 lbs

White

Female

Faith Nanette Lippe, a 50-year-old nutrition consultant, was last seen on the afternoon of October 3, 2008, in Cortlandt, New York. Her husband of eighteen years, Werner Lippe, told authorities he saw her for the last time at their home on Little Lake Road at approximately 1:30 p.m. According to his account, Faith had just returned from running errands when she mentioned needing to go out again. He claimed he saw her get into a Jeep with an unidentified person and leave. Faith left behind her purse, cell phone, and all of her other personal belongings. The only items noted to be missing were a pair of expensive earrings valued between $10,000 and $15,000. At the time of her disappearance, she was described as a white female with brown hair and brown eyes, standing at 5'8" and weighing around 130 pounds. She was reportedly wearing a black and white sweater, brown pants, and blue shoes. In the days following Faith's disappearance, her husband's behavior raised suspicions. He did not try to contact her after she failed to return home that evening. The next day, before officially reporting her missing, he drove to Connecticut to have lunch and check on his boat. He also disposed of all of her clothing and health food. Initially, law enforcement stated they did not suspect foul play. However, the investigation shifted dramatically in late October 2008 when Werner Lippe confessed to her murder. He made this confession to a friend who was secretly recording the conversation for the police. Werner, a successful jeweler with experience using high-temperature torches for melting precious metals, admitted to striking Faith over the head with a piece of wood. He then stated that he placed her unconscious body into a 55-gallon oil drum, which he used as a burn barrel, and incinerated her remains for over 24 hours. When police confronted him with this recording, he confessed to them as well. It was reported that the couple was in the midst of a contentious divorce, and friends described Werner as a controlling and verbally abusive husband. Following his confession, Werner Lippe was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. He later recanted his confessions, claiming he had fabricated the story. A crucial piece of evidence, the burn barrel he claimed to have used, was missing from the property when investigators went to collect it and was never found. His first murder trial in February 2010 resulted in a hung jury, leading to a mistrial. However, a second trial was held in October 2010, and after just two days of deliberation, the jury convicted him of murder. Werner Lippe was sentenced to the maximum of 25 years to life in prison. An appeal of his conviction was denied in 2016. This case remains a somber one, as despite the conviction, Faith Nanette Lippe's body has never been recovered. The investigation and subsequent trials relied heavily on her husband's own words, painting a grim picture of her final moments, though the full truth may never be known without the discovery of her remains.

Oct 03, 2008

Cortlandt

New York

Cortlandt

New York State Police

08/24/2026