Dave Kroupa’s dating life changed forever in 2012 — a turn that would lead to years of fear, manipulation, and an unsettling mystery.
That same year, the Omaha, Nebraska, resident was seeing two women at once: Cari Farver and Shanna “Liz” Golyar. But after Farver suddenly disappeared on Nov. 13, 2012, Kroupa and Golyar began receiving thousands of disturbing messages from someone pretending to be Farver.
Investigators initially believed Farver was harassing them from afar — until they uncovered a chilling truth: Golyar had murdered Farver and spent years impersonating her online to torment Kroupa and cover up her crime.
Retired detective Chris Legrow said in the Netflix documentary Lover, Stalker, Killer, “I thought I’d seen it all. I hadn’t seen anything like this.”
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Golyar was arrested in December 2016 and later received a life sentence with no chance of parole, as reported by ABC News. The case is chronicled in Lover, Stalker, Killer, which premiered Feb. 9, 2024.
Here is a closer look at the case — and what became of those involved.
Who Is Dave Kroupa?
Kroupa met his longtime partner, Amy Flora, in 2000 while they were working at a truck stop. They went on to have two children before eventually separating. Kroupa then moved to Omaha to remain close to the kids and found work as a mechanic.
As he began online dating again, he connected with Golyar just days after restarting his single life. She was a recently single mother of two and one of the first connections he made on Plenty of Fish.
Who Is Liz Golyar?
Golyar owned a cleaning business and had numerous pets. She shared several hobbies with Kroupa, including motorcycles, heavy metal, and sci-fi movies. Their relationship was affectionate but casual, and Kroupa made clear early on that he didn’t want anything serious.
Who Was Cari Farver?
Around the time he was casually dating Golyar, Kroupa met Farver — a 37-year-old single mother — at the auto shop he managed. Not long after, he found her profile online and asked her out.
Their connection developed quickly, and they spent significant time together. But things shifted after a brief run-in between Farver and Golyar at Kroupa’s apartment building — a chance moment that escalated into tragedy.
The Day Everything Changed
On Nov. 13, 2012, Kroupa left for work after saying goodbye to Farver. Later that morning, he received texts from her suggesting they move in together — completely contradicting their prior agreement to keep things casual.
Moments later, the messages turned angry. When Kroupa returned home, Farver and all her belongings were gone.
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Soon, the threatening messages started. Meanwhile, Farver’s mother received a message claiming Farver got a new job in Kansas and would be leaving her son in her care. Suspicious, she reported her missing.
Because Farver had previously been diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder, early police theories suggested she may have left due to a mental health crisis.
The Harassment Intensifies
As Kroupa continued dating Golyar, she also reported being targeted — keying on her car, threatening messages, emails, and vandalism at her home.
They believed Farver was behind everything.
Kroupa soon began receiving dozens of texts and scores of emails every day from various accounts. Some referenced private conversations and customers he interacted with at work — details no stranger should have known.
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The situation began affecting his ex, Flora, and their children, who no longer felt safe visiting his home. Kroupa described this period as a constant state of paranoia and fear.
The harassment escalated again in August 2013, when Golyar’s house burned down. She and her children weren’t home at the time, but all her animals were killed in the fire. Detectives suspected the unseen stalker.
Trying to escape the nightmare, Kroupa eventually changed jobs, phones, and apartments — but the stalking continued.
Who Was Really Behind the Messages?
By spring 2015, Farver had been missing for over two years but was still sending threats — or so it appeared.
Investigators in Iowa — Ryan Avis and Jim Doty — along with IT specialist Tony Kava, dug deeper into the messages. Their breakthrough came from tracing an IP address to a home belonging to Todd Butterbaugh, who revealed that his on-and-off partner Golyar had been living with him.
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Shocking everyone, investigators realized Golyar had been impersonating Farver for years — while also committing arson and stalking multiple people.
Kroupa recalled breaking down when investigators told him: “It was Liz stalking me this whole time.”
He also realized what that must mean for Farver’s fate.
The Evidence That Exposed a Killer
In December 2015, Kroupa discovered his gun was missing. That same day, Golyar reported harassment at the hands of Flora — and described Kroupa’s gun in detail.
Police found her surveillance behavior increasingly suspicious. Golyar then claimed she had been shot in a park — only for detectives to determine she likely shot herself using Kroupa’s missing weapon.
That blunder gave investigators leverage. They tricked Golyar into supplying emails “from Flora,” which contained disturbing details about Farver’s murder. Investigators then found blood in Farver’s abandoned vehicle.
Still missing a body, they needed one more breakthrough — and it came from an old tablet Kroupa located in storage. Over 11,000 deleted photos were recovered, including one showing a tattooed foot belonging to Farver.
Where Is Liz Golyar Now?
Though Farver’s body has never been recovered, digital and forensic evidence led to Golyar’s conviction for first-degree murder. According to KETV Omaha, she also received an additional sentence for arson and falsely accusing Farver of the crime.
She is incarcerated at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women.
Where Is Dave Kroupa Today?
Kroupa has maintained a quiet life since the ordeal and continues to carry guilt over what happened.
He said in the documentary that if he could have foreseen the consequences, he would have ended things before anyone was harmed. He remains in Nebraska, according to WOWT.
