Peggy Anne Sweeten has been missing from Grove, Oklahoma since January 17th, 1998. Her husband, James Lee Sweeten, told police when he reported her missing in June 1998, that he came home one night and she was just gone. She’d left behind her wedding rings and a note saying she was leaving him for someone else, according to a story he told their son. He also told investigators that she left with a “gentlemen from the internet”.

However, her son Patrick Sweeten says that Peggy didn’t have an email address and didn’t even use the internet. He last spoke with his mother in December of 1997. He believes his father is responsible for his mother’s disappearance. He told investigators he didn’t learn about his mother being missing until March 1998 and convinced his father to make a missing persons report in June 1998. Peggy also left behind all her personal belongings, to include her car, clothing, photos, and sentimental items.

James filed for divorce three weeks after Peggy vanished. It came to light that James was having an affair at the time that Peggy disappeared. His divorce was finalized from Peggy on April 6th, 1998, as she couldn’t contest it. His mistress’s divorce was granted on April 1st, 1998. She and James moved in together in June of 1998 and were married in December 1998. Police believe Peggy was murdered. James is their prime suspect.

In 2011, a warrant was served to search James Sweeten’s property. They were interested in searching the ground under a shed that James built on the property around the time Peggy disappeared. Unfortunately, the search didn’t turn up any evidence or trace of Peggy. James refused to participate in a polygraph and wouldn’t consent to a noninvasive search of the property.

Peggy was 51 at the time of her disappearance. She was 5’2-5’6 and 145-150 lbs with short, black hair and brown eyes. She wears glasses.

Please call the Ottawa County District Attorney’s Office at 918.542.3224 with any information on the disappearance of Peggy Sweeten.