Shivangi Sinha
Dave Kroupa had started a fresh chapter in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2012, by moving closer to his children and getting back into the dating world. He never imagined he would become the focus of a baffling case that puzzled investigators for months, nor that he would be targeted with relentless harassment. The shocking developments left him confused, unsure how to understand Cari Farver’s disappearance or the chaos surrounding it. In ABC’s ’20/20: A Tangled Web,’ he recounts his experiences and the disturbing twists that upended his life.
Dave Kroupa Connected With Liz Golyar Through a Dating App For the First Time
The year 2012 marked a new beginning for Dave Kroupa. He had recently ended his long-term relationship with Amy Flora, the mother of his two children, whom he’d first met around 2000 at a truck stop. Their partnership had been loving, and even though it eventually ran its course, the split was amicable. After the breakup, Amy moved to Wisconsin, while Kroupa chose to remain near his children. He secured a position as a supervisor at an auto repair shop in Omaha, Nebraska. Newly single for the first time in years, he decided to try online dating, hoping to meet people who, like him, were interested in something casual rather than a serious commitment.
One of the first people Kroupa matched with on Plenty of Fish was Shanna “Liz” Elizabeth Golyar, who was also a single mother of two. The two of them shared several common interests, including sci-fi movies, motorcycles, heavy metal music, and more. He was upfront about what he wanted and told her clearly that he wasn’t interested in anything exclusive or serious at that point. They spent an enjoyable time together, but about six months later, at his auto shop, Kroupa met Cari Farver. She was a single mother who had brought her car in for maintenance, and he found himself drawn to her. So when he later came across her profile on the dating app, he chose to reach out. They went out to dinner, and afterward, he invited her back to his apartment.
They hadn’t expected to run into Liz in the hallway, but she happened to be there picking up some personal items she had left at Kroupa’s apartment. The two women exchanged only a few brief words before parting ways. Cari and Kroupa had agreed that their relationship wouldn’t be monogamous, though there was clearly a strong attraction between them. Since her office was only a few blocks from his apartment, she would often stop by, and they spent a lot of time together. November 13, 2012, was the last time he saw Cari. He left for work that morning and told her he would see her later that evening.
Dave Kroupa Faced Stalking and Harassment From Cari Farver’s Phone Number for Months
A few hours later, Dave Kroupa received a text from Cari Farver’s phone saying she wanted them to move in together. This was completely opposite of what they had agreed on, and Kroupa reminded her of their understanding, but more messages kept coming from her number. They filled with profanity, accusations, and calling him a liar. He said the texts continued throughout the morning, but when he returned home, Cari’s belongings were gone from the house, so he assumed she had simply moved out. Two days later, he received more messages from her, written in the same hostile tone. Texts like “I will do what I can to make you suffer,” and “We belong together, Dave,” were alarming for him, but things escalated quickly after that.
Kroupa realized that many of the messages focused on Liz Golyar, and Liz also told him she was receiving similar texts from Cari and was frightened. One day, she called to say her garage had been vandalized, and she filed a police report in November 2012. For Kroupa, things were deteriorating as well. He began getting texts from her number suggesting he was being stalked, along with photos of him at different places, which he believed were being sent by Cari. In January 2013, when he noticed her car parked near his home, he alerted the police, but there was still no sign of Cari herself. At one point, he even received a message threatening to kill Liz, accompanied by a picture of a woman tied up in a car.
In August 2013, when Liz reported that her house had caught fire, Kroupa became increasingly paranoid and decided to buy himself a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol. His auto shop was vandalized, and at one point, while he was spending time with a school friend, someone threw a rock through his window. His former partner, Amy Flora, also began receiving similar threatening messages. For Kroupa, it felt as though the ordeal would never come to an end. So when, in December 2016, police arrested not another suspect but Liz herself for the harassment and the murder of Cari, he was shocked. He felt blindsided, realizing that the woman he had believed to be the victim all along was actually the one responsible for the crime.
Dave Kroupa is Leading a Happy Life With His Longtime Girlfriend Today
It was difficult for Dave Kroupa to come to terms with the fact that he had a stalker who had been tormenting not only him but also the mother of his children, Amy Flora, and had even tried to frame her. After Liz Golyar’s arrest, he kept a low profile and stayed mostly out of the public eye. In May 2017, he testified during her trial, giving a detailed account of everything that had happened. He later appeared in Netflix’s ‘Lover, Stalker, Killer’ in February 2024 and made a few public statements as well. He spoke about how challenging the entire experience had been and admitted that he did not feel completely without fault.
He said, “A lot of bad things happened to good people, all because of a series of events that I’m at the center of. The woman that I dated had goals, and was smiley and wanted to do something. She was just trying to make her way in this world.” He also expressed compassion for Cari Farver’s son, Max Farver, and her mother, Nancy Raney. After years of turmoil, Kroupa has finally built a peaceful life for himself. He has found love again and has been in a long-term relationship with Margie Hover. Despite moving forward, he still remains cautious about his privacy and is not fully comfortable sharing his personal life online or having his details easily accessible. However, he has said that he can finally imagine a future where he is not constantly looking over his shoulder.
Dave and Margie have made their home in Nebraska, where they enjoy a quiet but fulfilling life. They both share a love for musicals and often go on date nights. Dave slowly began engaging more with the community. In June 2025, he spoke at the Women’s Center for Advancement, contributing to conversations around issues like domestic violence awareness. Just a month earlier, in May 2025, he checked off a major bucket-list item when he visited Washington, D.C. In October 2025, they attended a show at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, and they regularly enjoy fun local outings, including events at Stir Cove. Today, Dave Kroupa continues to focus on rebuilding his life with Margie by his side and a supportive community around him. He appears to be embracing a future that is far removed from the years of fear and harassment he endured.
