A 50-year-old murder mystery in Wisconsin was finally solved using genetic genealogy, leading to the arrest of an 84-year-old man from Minnesota. Mary K. Schlais, aged 25, was found dead on February 15, 1974, near an intersection in Spring Brook, Wisconsin in the United States.
Investigators revealed that she had been hitchhiking to an art show in Chicago when she was killed. Her death was ruled a homicide. But, despite years of efforts by multiple law enforcement agencies, no viable suspects were identified—until now, CNN reported.
The suspect, Jon Miller from Owatonna, Minnesota, was arrested last November 7. Dunn County Sheriff Kevin Bygd explained that Miller, now in custody in Steele County, Minnesota, had “confirmed his involvement” in Schlais’ murder. Authorities are working on extraditing him to Wisconsin for further proceedings.
Sheriff Bygd stated that solving this case was a “huge victory” for his agency, marking the first time they used genetic genealogy.
Over the years, evidence from the case had been examined and re-examined, but traditional methods alone couldn’t produce any conclusive leads.
However, when the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office began collaborating with genetic genealogists from Ramapo College in New Jersey, they used DNA evidence to trace Miller’s identity.
Genetic genealogy combines DNA analysis with family history research to identify suspects in cold cases. The process can be complex and costly, but the college provided valuable assistance, said Bygd.
He also noted that Miller’s adoption complicated the family lineage search. But, the team managed to overcome this challenge and eventually got Miller to acknowledge his role in Schlais’ death.
“I believe it’s got to even be a relief for him after 50 years of living with this. It’s had to have been on his mind almost every day. You would think anybody with a conscience, it would. So, I think he was done fighting it, personally,” CNN quoted Sheriff Bygd as saying.
