Cold Case Break: Owatonna Man Arrested for 1974 Wisconsin Murder

Menominee, WI (KROC-AM News)- An Owatonna man has been arrested on suspicion of killing a Minneapolis woman 50 years ago.

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The murder happened in western Wisconsin’s Dunn County in February of 1974. Investigators found the body of Mary L. Schlais at a rural intersection southeast of Menominee.

The initial investigation indicated Schlais had been hitchhiking from Minneapolis to Chicago when she met her demise.

Schlais. Dunn County Sheriff's Office

At the time a witness reported seeing a person and vehicle that were suspected of being connected to the homicide.

Over the next 50 years the western Wisconsin law enforcement agency says investigators from multiple agencies followed up on many tips and leads and conducted multiple interviews.

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Investigators also obtained items at the scene that contained DNA samples. Even as DNA technology improved throughout the decades, the homicide case remained cold.

Genetic Genealogy Identifies 84-Year-Old Owatonna Man as Murder Suspect in Western Wisconsin Cold Case

The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office then began working with the Ramapo College Genetic Genealogy team in New Jersey.

The partnership led to the identification of 84-year-old Jon K. Miller as the suspected killer.

A news release issued by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office indicates Miller was taken into custody on Thursday in Owatonna. Miller, who is currently being held at the Steele County Jail, is awaiting extradition to Dunn County.