BARRON COUNTY, Wis. — The identification of human remains discovered in western Wisconsin 37 years ago solves one mystery that has stumped Barron County investigators.
Unfortunately, it also opens a new one. The question now facing authorities: Who killed Kraig King of White Bear Lake?
On Sept. 21, 1982, loggers spotted what appeared to be a pile of clothes in a wooded area on private land just off Highway 25 about 4 miles north of the town of Ridgeland. It turned out that the findings were actually badly decomposed human remains. Forensic experts determined they were the remains of a white male between the ages of 18 and 22, between 5 feet 8 and 5 feet 9 inches tall, and 180 to 195 pounds.
A pathologist also determined that the man who died was a victim of homicide.
Initial investigation turned up little in the way of who that person might be, and eventually the case went cold. Those remains stayed unidentified until Barron County sheriff's investigators teamed up with the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit volunteer organization formed to learn the identities of unidentified people using forensic technology.
The DNA Doe Project was able to identify the remains as belonging to King. Barron County investigators will now begin looking into King's murder, and who is responsible.
"In any case, this brings closure," Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald told KARE 11. "This proves law enforcement never gives up until a case is solved."
Anyone who may have known Kraig King, or anything about his death is asked to call the Barron County Sheriff's Department at 715-537-3106.