Fowler was last seen in Bowling Green, Kentucky on June 19, 1999. He told his wife he was going fishing at the Barren River along the Allen/Warren county line. He never returned from his fishing trip and has never been heard from again. On June 21, searchers found his minivan off Osborne Ford Road. His wife found his boat two miles downstream.

Fowler had worked as a lineman at Farmers Rural Electric Cooperative for twenty years prior to his disappearance. On June 18, the day before he was last seen, he called in sick. His wife reported him missing on June 21. Authorities stated they didn't find any overnight provisions in Fowler's boat or vehicle, though he was supposed to be on an overnight trip. He also hadn't mentioned any plans to go fishing to his coworkers. The Barren River is shallow and investigators stated they should have found his body if it had been there.

In August 1999, two months after Fowler's disappearance, police stated they had reclassified it as a possible homicide. They believe more than one individual was involved in his death. No charges have been filed in his case; it remains unsolved.