# WISCONSIN 1974 Cold Case Solved After 50 Years

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/forensic-files-unsealed-6989771/wisconsin-1974-cold-case-solved-after-50-years
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/forensic-files-unsealed-6989771/wisconsin-1974-cold-case-solved-after-50-years.md
Podcast: [Forensic Files Unsealed](https://stenobird.com/podcast/forensic-files-unsealed-6989771)
Published: 2026-09-20T03:43:46+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/wisconsin-1974-cold-case-solved-after-50-years--75250006
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/75250006/mary_schlais_s_killer_caught_fifty_years_later.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/forensic-files-unsealed-6989771/episodes/wisconsin-1974-cold-case-solved-after-50-years
Duration seconds: 2966

## Resource

This episode details the extraordinary resolution of a 1974 cold case involving the murder of Mary Schlace, a talented 25-year-old artist and student. While hitchhiking from Minneapolis to an art show in Chicago, Schlace was tragically killed in Wisconsin, leaving investigators with few clues beyond a discarded stocking cap. For five decades, the investigation remained stagnant despite various leads and a wrongful suspicion of a notorious serial killer. The silence finally broke in 2024 when investigative genetic genealogy linked DNA from the decades-old evidence to 84-year-old John Keith Miller. After 50 years of living an ordinary life, Miller confessed to the crime and was sentenced to life in prison. This account highlights how modern forensic science and persistent police work eventually secured justice for a family who had waited half a century for answers. Content Warning: This podcast contains discussions of homicide, violence, abuse, and other graphic themes related to real-life criminal events. It is intended for mature audiences and listener discretion is advised. This episode includes AI-generated content.

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## Transcript

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