Possible Victims: Wisconsin

[SeriouslySearching]

1) Charles Blatz 28 yrs

Missing-9/28/97 La Crosse, Wisc.

Found-10/0397 -- Mississippi River --BAC (0.20)

2) Anthony Skifton 19 yrs

Missing-10/10/97 La Crosse, Wisc.

Found-- 10/20/97-- Mississippi River --Bac (0.23)

3) Nathan Kapfer 20 yrs

Missing-2/22/98 La Crosse, Wisc.

Found---4/04/98 -- Mississippi River -Bac (0.22)

Third (3rd) child missing within five (5) months, (9/20/97 ---2/22/98). Not just the same state but the same town of La Crosse.

4) Jeffrey Geesey 21 yrs.

Missing-4/11/99 La Crosse, Wisc.

Found---5/24/99 - Mississippi River - Bac (0.42)

5) Craig Burrows 23 yrs.

Missing-9/29/02 Eau Claire, Wisc.

Found--10/06/02 - Half Moon Lake

6) Michael Noll 22 yrs.

Missing-11/06/02 Eau Claire, Wisc.

Found-----8/19/03 - Half Moon Lake

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6815&highlight=Michael+Noll

7) Nathan Herr 21 yrs.

Missing-01/10/03 Sheboygan, Wisc.

Found----3/15/03 - Lake Michigan

Third (3rd) child missing within less than three (3 1/2) months, (9/29/02--01/10/03)

8) Jared Dion 21 yrs.

Missing--4/10/04 La Crosse, Wisc.

Found----4/15/04 -- Mississippi River -Bac (0.40)

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6734&highlight=Jared+Dion

9) Joshua Snell 22 yrs. (in from Minnesota for a wedding)

Missing-6/12/05 Eau Claire, Wisc.

Found---6/15/05 - Chippewa River

10) Cullen Fortney 21 yrs.

Missing 1/08/06 Mississippi River La Crosse, Wisc.

Found---1/08/06 - ALIVE Bac (0.043-0.1643)

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34966&highlight=Cullen+Fortney


11) Kenji Ohnri 20 yrs.

Missing-01/28/06 Madison, Wisc.

Found----6/19/06 - Lake Mendota

12) Lucas Homan 21 yrs

Missing-9/30/06 La Crosse, Wisc.

Found--10/02/06 - Mississippi River

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s421937.shtml?cat=63
(End of Detectives list)
------------------------------------------------------------------
13) Lee S. Cutler 18 yrs.

Missing-10/21/07 - Buffalo Grove, WI

(still missing)

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55295

 

[Meyahna]

Just adding in case.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) - March 12, 2001

Black River victim presumed drunk

A man who broke through the ice on the Black River and drowned was likely drunk, authorities said. Authorities pulled the body of Patrick Runingen, 23, of West Salem from the river Thursday. He had been missing since March 1, when witnesses said he appeared intoxicated as he left a bar near the river, which feeds into the Mississippi River, Lt. Bob Berndt said.Berndt said the death appears to be accidental. Results of an autopsy are still pending.Runingen's death marks the...

Purchase Complete Article, of 122 words

 

[Ang50]

Interesting reading re: the Luke Homan case -

http://www.rivervalleyblogs.com/complaints/scott.htm

Mr. Scott pled to probation. It leads me to believe that although police could link him to the scene, they simply did not believe that he was involved in foul play.

However, it does lead me to believe that Luke just fell in.

 

[Blink34]

Interesting reading re: the Luke Homan case -

http://www.rivervalleyblogs.com/complaints/scott.htm

Mr. Scott pled to probation. It leads me to believe that although police could link him to the scene, they simply did not believe that he was involved in foul play.

However, it does lead me to believe that Luke just fell in.

Very Interesting, however, I am not sure this guy was not also a potential victim given what we know about the other cases and the fact that he was wet as well when he surfaced and lied about his name which he did not have to, sounds to me like he really did not remember, and was VERY scared , imo

 

[Ang50]

Very Interesting, however, I am not sure this guy was not also a potential victim given what we know about the other cases and the fact that he was wet as well when he surfaced and lied about his name which he did not have to, sounds to me like he really did not remember, and was VERY scared , imo

Can you tell me where he said he was wet? I can't find it. Thanks!

You aren't confusing the Cullen guy with Austin Scott, are you? I just want to check.

 

[cheko1]

Ang,

Austin Scott was lucky LE believed him & allowed to plea bargain probation.

 

[shadowraiths]

While reading a linked comment to Greta Van Susteren's blog, I noticed the following (interesting) post:

Comment by Lisa C.
May 16th, 2008 at 11:17 pm

Hi Greta Several years ago, I dealt on a regular basis on eBay with a man named John Klinger from Eau Claire. Suddenly, he was unreachable. After about 6 months of no response from him, I typed his name into a search engine on the internet and found that he was dead. He had gone to a bar one night and was found floating in a river the next day or so. He didn’t drive and it was too far for him to have walked to this river. He was partially disabled so such mobility would have been a problem for him. He was a gay rights and AIDS activist. The circumstances surrounding his death sound very similar to the deaths of these young boys. Though he was in his 40’s, he may still have fallen victim to these same killers. I didn’t know him well, but from what I knew of him, he was a really nice man who deserves some justice, if he was murdered. The Eau Claire police department had his picture on their website asking for any information about the circumstances of his death. As far as I know it’s never been solved to even their satisfaction. Perhaps with a little attention, maybe the case could be solved. Thanks!​

There is very little info on this tragic case. In fact, a quick search revealed this single post that appears to be in the cached version only:

fishymama
Jun 29 2003, 11:03 PM (scroll down)

Thanks plsmith, lots of good info at this site. I grew up several miles from St. Johns College and spent alot of time out there. Its very secluded, not someplace you accidently find yourself at. It is also just a few miles down the road from where Jacob Wetterling was abducted 13 years ago. The entire campus is surrounded by lakes,woods,and farmland. The Freeway is at least a mile from the campus and the closest town of any size is St Cloud, about 10 miles away.

**********************************************

Add another one to the list..This was posted to the Chris Jenkins website in May.

Posted By: John Klinger family

5/20/03

We were lead to this web site by persons who believe there are too many connections to all these drownings. Our brother was found May 1 in the Eau Claire River 10 miles outside of Eau Claire WI. He did not drive and did not have a car. We believe someone took him to the isolated area he was found in and left him there. We want to connect with the other family members who have lost their sons and brothers and see if there are similarities. We have told the police our concerns about the number of deaths by drowning, happening late at night.In fact it was the news release that another body was found in the river that got our attention when we were looking for John. If you read this and know the family members of other victims please encourage them to email John's sister at [email redacted]. To the other families we extend our sincere sympathy and understand your loss is as great as ours. We hope we can find some answers.​

What I find to be most curious about this tragic case is the ebay bit. It would be interesting to see if any other drowning victims used ebay (or craigslist). Esp considering the detectives claim the alleged gang is scouting for their victims online.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

Excellent find, Shadow! It would be interesting if we could find a way to track that information down. I know many college students which do use both as a way to sell things for money to keep going and to also buy electronic equipment.

 

[fran]

I know my daughter used to sell her 'used' books online. I'm not sure which venue though. I'll ask her tomorrow.

JMHO
fran

 

[Peculiar Petunia]

From:
ALCOHOL ABUSE CLAIMED 1,949 IN STATE IN 1988

Capital Times, The (Madison, WI) - May 24, 1990
Author: Associated Press



Alcohol use and abuse cost the state's economy more than $1.4 billion in 1988, causing almost 2,000 eaths in the state that year, the Division of Health says.

The state study said alcohol was responsible for more than 30 percent of the deaths of Wisconsin men ages 15 to 24 and for about one-fourth the deaths of Wisconsin women in that age group.
~snip~

The division said men accounted for more than twice as many alcohol-associated deaths as women. It said 1,263 men died, compared to 686 women.

The doctors estimated that, in 1988, alcohol was responsible for 346 motor vehicle deaths , 105 deaths from accidental falls, 24 accidental drownings , and 33 deaths by fire.

~~snip~~
I hope I edited out enough of the article, but these statistics date from before the string of probable murders (that we know of). It gives an idea of the scope of the drinking problem in the state.

 

[cheko1]

Another Wis Student missing:

Student still missing; dog tracks scent to river

Authorities searching for Craig Meyers will return today to the Mississippi River, after a dog tracked his scent to the ice and video footage showed what appears to be the missing college student walking alone through downtown La Crosse.

 

[nursebeeme]

Another Wis Student missing:

Student still missing; dog tracks scent to river

Authorities searching for Craig Meyers will return today to the Mississippi River, after a dog tracked his scent to the ice and video footage showed what appears to be the missing college student walking alone through downtown La Crosse.

I just read that they have pulled his body from the water... sooo sad...

A body was pulled from the icy waters of the Mississippi River at about 4:55 p.m. today near the Courtyard by Marriot hotel. Although police did not immediately confirm the identity of the body, it is near the spot where police believe Craig Meyers fell into the river.

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/article_4bd1c2e8-1b4f-11df-8a7a-001cc4c03286.html

 

[cheko1]

I just read that they have pulled his body from the water... sooo sad...



http://www.lacrossetribune.com/article_4bd1c2e8-1b4f-11df-8a7a-001cc4c03286.html

Thank you for the update!!!!
I was just coming to look on the net to see if there was any word!

God bless his family & loved ones!!!! Your in my thoughts & prayers!!!

 

[cheko1]

Breaking News: Missing student's body found in river

Home

Area Mississippi River deaths since 1997

• Story

Posted: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:43 pm
Font Size:Default font sizeLarger font sizeEight other young men have died in the Mississippi River in La Crosse since 1997:

• Christopher B. Melancon, 24, a Milwaukee native who was living in Bloomington, Minn., died after he fell from the Cass Street bridge into a Mississippi River slough immediately west of the main channel at about 1:30 a.m. Sept. 30, 2007, the opening weekend of Oktoberfest. He was a a former Marine and Iraq

 

[GoBrewers]

Honestly what confuses me is like Oktoberfest part. I have been to at least 8 and as many as 10, only one since i was 21, but of all the times ive gone i NEVER remember seeing people without a group, even the people walking alone were talking to at least one person from a random group...JMO but it confuses me on how hard it would be to seperate a single person, let alone drug them without someone else knowing.

On a semi-related note i remember my cousin telling me about his girlfriends drink being hit with horse tranqulizers, she gave it to him and he gave it to his friend not realizing it was drugged (thank god his friend was a big guy) and it put a 6'0+ 260+lb person out for over a day and had to be taken into the hospital, imagine what something like that would do to someone 1/3rd of his size. I am almost positive it was during oktoberfest, ill ask him as soon as i can.

 

[GoBrewers]

Its been about 3 months now, and i still feel somewhat confused when reading a lot of the contradictions between victims. Searching through the websites i have found out that an old boss of mine posted as to one of the early 1990's drownings in Eau Claire, WI. I will ask him, and also start searching the water area (that is if we dont get any more snow....) for Smiley faces and, if i find any, take some pictures to post of my own.
I do realize that a large quantity of these drownings are most likely accidental, but i can tell you i have walked home many nights with little recollection of walking home in winter(if you arent from around here, you probably have 2-3 jack and cokes to my 1 served here...) and have NEVER detoured down to the areas of water below. Believe me, sober or drunk when its 0 outside and we are wearing 3-5 layers of clothing, I still walk as quickly home as possible.

I feel like i should continue to mention the fact that our masonic temple is located downtown on the waterfront, and has a back exit (one door) right on the water, but isnt a dock or any real form of exit. Outside of fire exit issues alone, very creepy.

ETA: i google mapped 616 graham eau claire wi, the building is actually one more over. It gives the masonic temple as being in the belowground parking ramp for the people who stay in that APT building, however, i have never been inside so what do i know. You can see the doors do not have a way of opening from the main front doors with googlemap, but i will have to take actual pictures of the rear entrance, as there is no way to get it from googlemaps.

 

[nursebeeme]

http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.c...n-Saturday?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Hundreds of family members, friends and community members ventured out to look for Eric Duffey, who last was seen at about 1:15 a.m. Saturday leaving Joe's Bar in downtown Stevens Point.

Even after the official search was suspended at about 4:30 p.m., police and friends continued to search neighborhoods where Duffey might have wandered as he tried to walk to his residence on the 700 block of Isadore Street.

 

[hockeymom]

They found the boy in the river. This article hasn't identified him yet ,but I heard it is him.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...=maing-grid7|maing6|dl1|sec1_lnk3&pLid=140743

 

[RR0004]

http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.c...n-Saturday?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

This is unbelievable!

 

[wfgodot]

I love this series of threads, thanks to SeriouslySearching for doing much work. But "River Killer" deaths have as competition a rather well-established phenomenon: the tendency of males, especially young males, after drinking, to walk down to the river to pee. It's slick. You slip.