The person who’s suspected of murdering a younger hitchhiker half a century in the past has been arrested, because of DNA testing.
The arrest of Jon Okay. Miller, 84, was introduced by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Workplace on Thursday. Miller, a resident of Owatonna, Minnesota, was charged with first-degree homicide in connection to the 1974 murder of Mary Okay. Schlais.
Investigators had been engaged on the chilly case for 50 years. Schlais, a 25-year-old artist touring from Minneapolis, was en path to an artwork present in Chicago when she was killed.
“Schlais was discovered deceased close to the intersection of 408th Ave. and 990th St. within the Township of Spring Brook, Dunn County,” the Dunn County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in a press release. “There was an eyewitness that noticed a suspect and suspect’s automobile that have been believed to be linked to the murder of Mary Schlais.”
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Mary Schlais, 25, was discovered lifeless close to an intersection in Wisconsin in 1974. (Dunn County Sheriff’s Workplace/Google Maps)
Over the previous 50 years, investigators have explored numerous leads which have fallen quick. It wasn’t till authorities labored with the Investigative Genetic Family tree Heart at Ramapo School in New Jersey that the case was capable of progress.
Sheriff Kevin Bygd advised Fox Information Digital {that a} hat discovered on the crime scene led authorities to the suspect. Throughout a press convention on 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 with Mary’s murder in 1974,” the official mentioned.
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Jon Okay. Miller, 84, confessed to being concerned within the 1974 homicide. (Steele County Sheriff’s Workplace)
“I imagine it is acquired to even be a reduction for him after 50 years of residing with this,” Bygd mentioned later through the presser. “[This has] needed to have been on his thoughts virtually daily. You’ll suppose [for] anyone with a conscience, it might.”
The sheriff additionally famous that hitchhiking was a standard follow in 1974.
“You recognize, in 1974, it wasn’t that uncommon for anyone to hitchhike from Minneapolis to Chicago,” Bygd mentioned. “However tales like that is the explanation we do not let our youngsters do it anymore.”
Mary Schlais was hitchhiking to an artwork present in Chicago when she was killed. (Dunn County Sheriff’s Workplace)
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“This was a really vivid younger woman who had a really vivid future forward of her,” he added. “And her life was taken away from her means too quickly.”
