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Case:        Homicide
Date:        April 1977
Location:    Lambs Creek Boat Launch
             Town of Tainter
             Tainter Lake, WI

The Dunn County Sheriff's Office  is asking the public to assist in providing information on a cold case homicide. On April 22nd, 1977 the Sheriff's Office recieved a call of a vehicle observed submerged in the water in the Red Cedar River at the Lambs Creek Boat Landing on CTH G. The vehicle had become visible due to a drain down of the river. Upon the removal of the vehicle a female body, later identified a Joan Butterbach, was discovered in the trunk of the vehicle. A check of the vehicles registration revealed that the vehicle as well as Joan had been listed as missing out of Waukesha, WI on October 8th, 1971 by family members. Joan had been travelling alone

on October 5th, 1971 enroute to Minnesota where she

failed to arrive. Investigation into Joans disappearance

was conducted by the Waukesha Police Department,

Dunn County Sheriff"s Office and  the Wisconsin

Department of Criminal Investigations with no arrests

being made. Joan was 45 years of age at the time of her

disappearance.  Information on the case can be

submitted anonymously to Dunn County Crime Stoppers

or to the Dunn County Sheriff's Office Investigations

Bureau at 715-232-1564.

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COLD CASE INVESTIATIONS

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Case:        Homicide
Date:        February 1974
Location:    Rural Elk Creek Lake
             Town of Spring Brook

The Dunn County Sheriff's Office  is asking the public to assist in providing information on a cold case homicide. Twenty-five year old Mary Schlais left her residence in Minneapolis to hitchhike to an art show in Chicago in February of 1974. Three hours later, a witness called local authorities to report seeing a man throw her body out of a car and take off. Mary's body was found in the rural Elk Lake area of Dunn County. An autopsy showed Schlais had more than a dozen stab wounds and defensive cuts to hands, indicating she had put up a big struggle with her killer. Key evidence was missing

including her coat and a purse. Dunn County Investigators

have repeatedly revisited the crime scene, chased down

clues and even exhumed Schlais’ body a few years ago.

Information on the case can be submitted anonymously to

Dunn County Crime Stoppers or to the Dunn County

Sheriff's Office Investigations Bureau at 715-232-1564.

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