Genetic testing leads to arrest of Owatonna man 50 years after Minneapolis woman was found dead in Wisconsin

(KSTP) — An Owatonna man is in custody after genetic genealogy linked him to a 1974 murder of a Minneapolis woman who was found in Dunn County.

Jon Miller, 84, was arrested on Thursday for the murder of Mary Schlais, who was found dead in Spring Brook Township on Feb. 16, 1974.

At that time, an investigation revealed that Schlais was hitchhiking from Minneapolis to Chicago for an art show.

Dunn County Sheriff’s Office law enforcement says they received numerous tips and leads during the decades since Schlais’ body was discovered. As DNA technology advanced, officials retested evidence found at the scene multiple times.

In collaboration with the Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey, genetic genealogy testing revealed a suspect, which led to Miller’s arrest on Thursday.

Miller is in custody currently and awaiting extradition to Wisconsin.