Stephen Koch Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Jan 10, 2024

Stephen

Koch

84

34

77 inches

200 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the late summer of 1975, the rugged wilderness of Alaska became the backdrop for a heartbreaking loss. On August 13th, 34-year-old Stephen A. Koch, a male elementary school teacher from Soldotna, was on Tustumena Lake. He, along with a friend and his young son, were returning from a successful Dall sheep hunt in the Tustumena benchlands. The group had reached the mouth of Moose Creek on the northern shore of the vast lake where they had a boat waiting to transport them, their gear, and the game back to the Kasilof River landing, a journey of over 20 miles. Despite what were described as unfriendly conditions on the lake, and the fact that other members of their hunting party had not yet arrived, Koch and his companions decided to embark on their journey home. They loaded their equipment, along with the meat, horns, and hide from a full-curl ram, into a 14-foot, flat-bottomed SmokerCraft boat. The precise, tragic events that unfolded on the water that day remain unknown. It is believed that the small vessel was likely swamped or capsized by the turbulent waters of Tustumena Lake. In the aftermath of the incident, search efforts were launched by the Alaska State Troopers and a Rescue Coordination Center team. The body of his friend's son was recovered, but Stephen Koch and his friend were not immediately found. Much of the gear from the boat was recovered because it had been securely tied down; the boat itself was equipped with Styrofoam under the seats to aid in flotation. The search for Koch and his friend was eventually abandoned, and in early October, both men were officially declared dead. This devastating event occurred just weeks before the start of the 1975-76 school year, leaving a community to mourn the loss of a dedicated teacher. The case serves as a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan wilderness and the suddenness with which tragedy can strike, leaving behind unanswered questions and enduring grief.

Aug 13, 1975

Soldotna

Alaska

Kenai Peninsula Borough

No

77846

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

750002496

Alaska State Troopers

na

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

07/16/2026