International Courant
The person suspected of murdering a younger hitchhiker half a century in the past has been arrested because of DNA analysis.
The arrest of Jon Okay. Miller, 84, was introduced Thursday by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Workplace. Miller, a resident of Owatonna, Minnesota, was charged with first-degree homicide in reference to the 1974 killing of Mary Okay. Schlais.
Investigators had been engaged on the chilly case for 50 years. Schlais, a 25-year-old touring artist from Minneapolis, was on his solution to an artwork exhibition in Chicago when she was murdered.
“Schlais was discovered deceased close to the intersection of 408th Ave. and 990th St. in the neighborhood of Spring Brook, Dunn County,” the Dunn County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in a press release. “There was an eyewitness who noticed a suspect and the suspect’s car believed to be related to the homicide of Mary Schlais.”
ACCUSED FLORIDA ‘KILLER CLOWN’ TRYES TO HAVE CASE LEFT, CLAIMING LACK OF SURVIVING WITNESSES OR NEW EVIDENCE
Mary Schlais, 25, was discovered lifeless close to an intersection in Wisconsin in 1974. (Dunn County Sheriff’s Workplace/Google Maps)
Over the previous fifty years, researchers have investigated quite a few leads which have fallen quick. It wasn’t till authorities labored with the Investigative Genetic Family tree Middle at Ramapo School in New Jersey that the case was capable of transfer ahead.
Sheriff Kevin Bygd informed Fox Information Digital {that a} hat discovered on the crime scene led authorities to the suspect. Throughout a information convention Friday, Bygd introduced that Miller had confessed to his involvement within the homicide.
“When confronted with the proof, 84-year-old Jon Okay. Miller confirmed his involvement in Mary’s homicide in 1974,” the official mentioned.
FLORIDA ‘KILLER CLOWN’ CASE: MAN COMMITTED TO MURDER IN 1990 DECADES BEFORE SHEILA KEEN-WARREN’S ARREST, DEFENSE SAYS
Jon Okay. Miller, 84, confessed to involvement within the 1974 homicide. (Steele County Sheriff’s Workplace)
“I imagine it should even be a reduction for him, after dwelling with this for 50 years,” Bygd mentioned later in the course of the press convention. “This will need to have been on his thoughts virtually day by day. You’ll suppose it will be the case for anybody with a conscience.”
The sheriff additionally famous that hitchhiking was a typical follow in 1974.
“You already know, in 1974 it wasn’t that uncommon for somebody to hitchhike from Minneapolis to Chicago,” Bygd mentioned. “However tales like this are the rationale we do not let our youngsters do that anymore.”
Mary Schlais was hitchhiking to an artwork present in Chicago when she was murdered. (Dunn County Sheriff’s Workplace)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“This was a really vivid younger girl who had a really vivid future forward of her,” he added. “And her life was taken far too quickly.”
Andrea Margolis is a author for Fox Information Digital and Fox Enterprise. Readers can ship story tricks to [email protected].
