Jon Miller Admits to Murdering Mary Schlais After 50 Years
- Mary K. Schlais was found dead in 1974, having been murdered while hitchhiking.
- Jon Miller was arrested after genetic genealogy helped identify him as the killer.
- This case, solved through new investigative techniques, provided closure for Schlais' family.
Mary K. Schlais, 25, was discovered dead on February 15, 1974, in Spring Brook, Wisconsin, while she was hitchhiking to an art show in Chicago. The case remained unsolved until authorities employed genetic genealogy techniques along with rigorous examination of evidence. On Thursday, Jon Miller, an 84-year-old man from Owatonna, Minnesota, was arrested after he admitted to killing Schlais, bringing closure to a case that had perplexed investigators for decades. The Dunn County Sheriff's Office worked with a team from Ramapo College to identify Miller as the suspect, facing additional challenges due to his adoption complicating the genealogical research. The sheriff stated that the investigation's resolution is a relief for Schlais' family, who were informed of the developments, and the long-standing mystery surrounding her death has finally been addressed after years of dead ends and uncertainty.