Man arrested 50 years after Minneapolis woman's killing in Dunn County, Wisconsin
Mary Schlais.
SPRING BROOK TOWNSHIP, Wis. (FOX 9) - Fifty years after a Minneapolis woman was killed, an 84-year-old man was arrested thanks to genetic genealogy testing.
What we know
Mary K. Schlais, 25, was found dead near the intersection of 408th Avenue and 990th Street in Spring Brook Township in Dunn County, Wisconsin, on Feb. 15, 1974.
She was hitchhiking from Minneapolis to an art show in Chicago. Three witnesses saw a suspect and a vehicle that were believed to be connected to Schlais' killing.
"In 1974 it wasn’t that unusual for somebody to hitchhike their way from Minneapolis to Chicago. But it’s stories like this that is the reason we don’t let our kids do it anymore," said Dunn County Sheriff Kevin Bygd at a press conference Friday. "This was a very bright young lady who had a very bright future ahead of her, and her life was taken away from her way too young."
The vehicle and murder weapon have not yet been recovered, the Dunn County Sheriff's Office said.
The investigation and arrest
There were many "tips, leads and interviews" over the next several decades related to Schlais' killing, officials said.
As DNA technology developed, evidence was examined and reexamined, but no viable suspects were identified. But in recent years, the Dunn County Sheriff's Office began working with Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey, and a team of genetic genealogists. Through their investigative genetic genealogy, they identified a suspect.
On Thursday, investigators arrested 84-year-old Jon Keith Miller, of Owatonna, on a Wisconsin warrant. He was charged in Steele County court on Friday for being a fugitive justice from another state.
According to the complaint, investigators met with Miller at his home in Owatonna on Nov. 7. When presented with the DNA evidence, charges allege Miller admitted to picking up Schlais while she was hitchhiking and eventually stabbed her to death.
What they’re saying
In a press conference Friday, Sheriff Bygd said law enforcement spoke to the victim’s family, and they were relieved to hear of an arrest. Bygd explained he believes that after decades, Miller must also have some sense of relief.
"I believe it’s got to even be a relief for him [Miller] after 50 years of living with this. It 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," said Bygd.
The sheriff explained a lot of people helped work on the investigation over the years, and he always had hope that this case would get solved.
"I want to thank all of the members of this agency that have worked on this case over the past 50 years, specifically retired captain Scott McRoberts, who probably had more passion for solving this case than anyone. This is a huge victory for our agency," he said of the recent arrest.
What we don’t know
The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office did not provide specific details regarding the DNA in the case, or how Miller was identified as a suspect. However, the sheriff’s office is holding a press conference with a representative from the Ramapo College at 1 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, to provide more information.
Miller appeared in court on Friday and waived extradition. He remains in custody at Steele County Jail, and it’s unknown when he will be extradited to Dunn County.