Rifle—A man wanted for murdering his wife over 17 years ago in Iowa was taken into custody in Rifle yesterday. According to reports from the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, 52 year old Michael Lee Syperda was arrested at an apartment on Coal Mine Avenue in North Rifle. Investigators with the Garfield County Threat Assessment Team, the sheriff’s office, Homeland Security and the United States Marshall’s Office began a fugitive apprehension operation to find Syperda after a first degree murder warrant was issued by the Iowa Attorney General’s office. A grand jury in Mount Pleasant, Iowa indicted Syperda for allegedly killing his wife Elizabeth, who was last seen alive July 16th, 2000. Family and friends say the two were estranged and that day Elizabeth may have walked to meet Syperda who lived nearby. Michael Syperda is now in the Garfield County Jail awaiting extradition back to Iowa.
