WI WI - Kayla Berg, 15, Wausau, 11 Aug 2009

[Quoththeraven]

Forgotten Wisconsin Cold Cases: Kayla Berg - Keeping Hope

When people ask about what case we are working on next, not one person doesn’t know at least a little bit about 15-year-old Kayla Berg.

www.wsaw.com

"Time has also taken a toll on what were pivotal landmarks in the case.

The McDonald’s where Kayla was last seen with Kevin has been torn down, all that’s left is an empty lot with a for sale sign posted to a metal fence. The home that Kevin says he drove Kayla to has also been torn down."

What hasn't been torn down is a house two doors down from Miguel's now-torn-down house which was never searched by police. The same house where Kayla had her drug and alcohol-related going away party when she went to Texas. The same house that was owned by Miguel's half-brother. The same house mentioned by Kayla's friends in the podcast Last Summer: The Disappearance of Kayla Berg.

Last Summer: The Disappearance of Kayla Berg

Podcast Episode · I Think Not! · 03/08/2022 · 51m

podcasts.apple.com

Why are the police silent about this house?

 

[doggybag2355]

Did a quick scour through unidentified cases in NamUs and found a few potential matches, but I don't have much confidence in either of them:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

 

[mothwings]

Forgotten Wisconsin Cold Cases: Kayla Berg - Keeping Hope

When people ask about what case we are working on next, not one person doesn’t know at least a little bit about 15-year-old Kayla Berg.

www.wsaw.com

What hasn't been torn down is a house two doors down from Miguel's now-torn-down house which was never searched by police. The same house where Kayla had her drug and alcohol-related going away party when she went to Texas. The same house that was owned by Miguel's half-brother. The same house mentioned by Kayla's friends in the podcast Last Summer: The Disappearance of Kayla Berg.

Last Summer: The Disappearance of Kayla Berg

Podcast Episode · I Think Not! · 03/08/2022 · 51m

podcasts.apple.com

Why are the police silent about this house?

What's the address of this house?

 

[Quoththeraven]

What's the address of this house?

IMO, I theorize that both MM and KK (and possibly others) are involved in her disappearance, both refuse to talk to the police. Dogs alerted on KK's vehicle and MM's burner phone pinged near Merrill, WI. Merrill is on the way to Nicolet National Forest. The Wausau Daily Herald, Thu, Oct 24, 2019, Page A1 & A2, (Source: Newspapers.com) states that police, Langlade and Oconto County Sheriff's deputies, and the National Forest Service, along with K9 Search Solutions, searched an 11 square mile area of Nicolet National Forest in Langlade County for Kayla Berg.

It must have been a pretty credible lead to search 11 square miles of forest.

And they all partied at MM's brother's house owned by CJL, who, btw, is deceased as of 2022. Of course KK isn't going to tell police he dropped KB off at the party house where, according to the podcast, Last Summer, The Disappearance of Kayla Berg, Kayla had her going away party before moving to Texas. Two other adults partied at that house, too. CLK and ABM, Jr..

ABM, Jr. is CJL Jr's and MM's brother. CLK is their cousin. In fact, CLK lived there with his cousin, CJL Jr. Both of them stand out because they, too, not only partied there, but both ABM Jr and CLK are both registered sex offenders involving young girls. Adults and adult sex offenders hanging out with juveniles while drinking and doing drugs. What could possibly go wrong? (End of IMO)

Public Record Sources:

SORT :: home

appsdoc.wi.gov

https://www.wausauwi.gov/your-government/clerk/property-taxes

Obituaries in Wausau, WI | Wausau Daily Herald

Wausau Daily Herald obituaries and death notices. Remembering the lives of those we've lost.

www.wausaudailyherald.com

Last Summer: The Disappearance of Kayla Berg

Podcast Episode · I Think Not! · 03/08/2022 · 51m

podcasts.apple.com

​

 

[Quoththeraven]

15 years and counting...and not a peep in the news about the party house two doors down from her adult boyfriend's house.

15 years since Kayla Berg went missing

It has been 15 years since 15-year-old Kayla Berg went missing and police say they are still looking for clues in the case.

www.waow.com

 

[ilovewings]

It's been awhile since I looked at this case, but to the best of my recollection I thought Kevin had something to do with her disappearance. Just because he said he dropped her off at an abandoned house doesn't mean he did. Did the police follow up with Kevin and if so, what did they find

 

[Caring1]

1 Unidentified Person Exclusion

 

[Lkat3513]

I have been following this case for awhile. They did a search in Kewaukee County after a prisoner provided information but they located nothing. S.L. and T.L, brother to CLjr has pending felony charges for domestic, OWI and child abuse. I found info he also partied with the same crowd. MM's gf FJ also partied with them and was friends with MM at the time Kayla disappeared, as Kayla was dating MM. FL stated her and MM have been friends for 10 years with being in a relationship for 5 years. KK and MM both know more than they are saying. I am curious if there were any party places up by Merrill that individuals at the parties would be familiar with where things are pretty secluded. CLjr had ties to the Reservation as well. Has anyone cross checked with the Reservation and any unidentified individuals there? They aren't always listed on NAMUS, I don't think. Wisconsin Clearinghouse started working more with the Reservations in WI posting missing people or unsolved crimes on their website in the past few years.

 

[Lkat3513]

Also I read on some profile there are ties with alleged human trafficking with Kayla, MacKenzie Marken and Tara Jane Sullivan. Has anyone heard about this????

 

[Keiri]

Also I read on some profile there are ties with alleged human trafficking with Kayla, MacKenzie Marken and Tara Jane Sullivan. Has anyone heard about this????

I hear this every time from the guy who describes himself as the President of (american flag) of Missing Persons. He says that and the boyfriend did it in every case.

 

[Lkat3513]

So in doing a little more research, KK's grandparents lived in Sawyer lake area and there is a road called Kielcheski road. This is not all that far from Antigo and plenty of time to drive. There was plenty of time to move her before she was reported missing by her parents. Does anyone have specifics on areas of bodies of water that LEO has already searched?

 

[Quoththeraven]

So in doing a little more research, KK's grandparents lived in Sawyer lake area and there is a road called Kielcheski road. This is not all that far from Antigo and plenty of time to drive. There was plenty of time to move her before she was reported missing by her parents. Does anyone have specifics on areas of bodies of water that LEO has already searched?

The Antigo Daily Journal 10/23/2019, page 7 (Source: Newspapers.com) states that a number of LE agencies searched 11 square miles of the Nicolet National Forest in eastern Langlade County. From the maps it's easy to determine that Nicolet National Forest, Sawyer Lake and Kielcheski Rd are all in eastern Langlade County. I think we can pretty well assume the Sawyer Lake area was searched. I believe that photo of the boat with the search dog was taken on Sawyer Lake. Source: The Antigo Daily Journal 12/31/2019, page B009, (Source: Newspapers.com). Second photo is of Langlade County, WI. KK also lived in/near Athestane & Wausaukee, WI. Those towns are just east of NNF.

 

[Lkat3513]

I don't like to assume LEO did the searches in areas. Thank you for the maps. Much appreciated. I still have a gut feeling that KK and Kayla went to a specific spot to smoke and did not necessary drive around Antigo. A place familiar with both he and Kayla and their friends. Somewhere the kids go to "hang out" and smoke or drink.
Again, just an assumption on my part as far as areas around Antigo.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I have been following this case for awhile. They did a search in Kewaukee County after a prisoner provided information but they located nothing. S.L. and T.L, brother to CLjr has pending felony charges for domestic, OWI and child abuse. I found info he also partied with the same crowd. MM's gf FJ also partied with them and was friends with MM at the time Kayla disappeared, as Kayla was dating MM. FL stated her and MM have been friends for 10 years with being in a relationship for 5 years. KK and MM both know more than they are saying. I am curious if there were any party places up by Merrill that individuals at the parties would be familiar with where things are pretty secluded. CLjr had ties to the Reservation as well. Has anyone cross checked with the Reservation and any unidentified individuals there? They aren't always listed on NAMUS, I don't think. Wisconsin Clearinghouse started working more with the Reservations in WI posting missing people or unsolved crimes on their website in the past few years.

IMO, CLjr's house, two doors down from his brother MM's house, was the party house. If KK did drop KB off, of course he isn't going to say it was at the party house two doors down. Police even went there in their search for Stephanie Low after she disappeared. I believe KK also partied there in the past as did KB before she went to Texas. The whole bunch knew each other and partied together. KB's brother even said he'd been to MM's house. He said it was a dump. Did he party there, too, along with KK? That includes CH, former girlfriend of baby daddy KK, who also took underaged KB to these parties when she lived in Antigo. CH even moved down to Wausau within a block of MM. One or more of these people KNOW what happened to Kayla and are prob keeping quiet out of fear of implicating themselves. This whole scene involves drugs, alcohol, pedophiles and underage girls. The online podcast, Last Summer, The Disappearance of Kayla Berg details some of these parties. All in my opinion, of course.

 

[Lkat3513]

So why aren't officers going back to re-canvas and re-interview people? With driving to Wausau and back, KK could have done it after he and Kayla stopped at McD's. However it seems with smoking weed, driving around Antigo, intention of making a phone call to her friend later was the reason NOT to leave Antigo. KK even if he didn't intentional kill her or intentional did kill her, would still need time to freak out, clean up and hide the body, until he could move her at a later time aka the next day.

If she was dropped off in Wausau by MM and walked a few houses down, KK would have known that MM's brother's house was a couple doors down from MM, since he had been to the old place and new place. MM would need sufficient time - to drive the 40 miles north of Wausau per the cellphone ping to hide her body.

I am curious on finding more information on the alleged human trafficking and how MM and his father ties into this. One brother of MM is deceased. So until a gf or friend or someone who is no longer a part of that scene comes forward, it's going to continue to be difficult to solve this.

 

[Quoththeraven]

So why aren't officers going back to re-canvas and re-interview people? With driving to Wausau and back, KK could have done it after he and Kayla stopped at McD's. However it seems with smoking weed, driving around Antigo, intention of making a phone call to her friend later was the reason NOT to leave Antigo. KK even if he didn't intentional kill her or intentional did kill her, would still need time to freak out, clean up and hide the body, until he could move her at a later time aka the next day.

If she was dropped off in Wausau by MM and walked a few houses down, KK would have known that MM's brother's house was a couple doors down from MM, since he had been to the old place and new place. MM would need sufficient time - to drive the 40 miles north of Wausau per the cellphone ping to hide her body.

I am curious on finding more information on the alleged human trafficking and how MM and his father ties into this. One brother of MM is deceased. So until a gf or friend or someone who is no longer a part of that scene comes forward, it's going to continue to be difficult to solve this.

IMO, I think the fact that KK drove Kayla to MM's new residence the day before the night KK said he dropped Kayla off at MM's old house tells me that something (another party at CLjr's the next night?) was being set up or Kayla went there to speak to MM about a personal matter. Why drive 68 miles roundtrip just for a 15 minute visit with an ex-boyfriend? Also because both MM and KK refused to cooperate with the police and because a call was made from MM's phone the night Kayla disappeared tells me that both were involved in Kayla's disappearance. Eventually someone will talk or slip up. It's only a matter of time.

 

[Anon1980]

Does anyone know where Miguel’s phone supposedly pinged 40 miles north of Wausau?

 

[Quoththeraven]

Does anyone know where Miguel’s phone supposedly pinged 40 miles north of Wausau?

I think Merrill.

 

[Quoththeraven]

So why aren't officers going back to re-canvas and re-interview people? With driving to Wausau and back, KK could have done it after he and Kayla stopped at McD's. However it seems with smoking weed, driving around Antigo, intention of making a phone call to her friend later was the reason NOT to leave Antigo. KK even if he didn't intentional kill her or intentional did kill her, would still need time to freak out, clean up and hide the body, until he could move her at a later time aka the next day.

If she was dropped off in Wausau by MM and walked a few houses down, KK would have known that MM's brother's house was a couple doors down from MM, since he had been to the old place and new place. MM would need sufficient time - to drive the 40 miles north of Wausau per the cellphone ping to hide her body.

I am curious on finding more information on the alleged human trafficking and how MM and his father ties into this. One brother of MM is deceased. So until a gf or friend or someone who is no longer a part of that scene comes forward, it's going to continue to be difficult to solve this.

IMO, the deceased brother (he died February 7, 2022 according to the Wausau Daily Herald obits) is the one that lived two houses down from MM's old residence. KB was dropped off at MM's old residence according to KK. Both KK and MM lawyered up. Not only was MM's old residence a party house, but his brother's residence two doors down was also a party house. These parties involved drugs, alcohol and minors. What's the obvious reason that adults give alcohol and drugs to minors? It's called 'grooming'. For sex. There's a name associated with those adults. It's called pedophile. According to Last Summer, The Disappearance of Kayla Berg, KB had her going away party at the deceased brother's house before moving to Texas. I haven't heard whether MM's father was involved in anything.

I think a key to this whole disappearance is the established fact that KK drove KB to MM's new residence in Wausau the day before she disappeared. KK and his ex-girlfriend, CH, had previously driven KB down to parties in Wausau on more than one occasion. This wasn't a one-time trip. A 68 mile round trip from Antigo to Wausau just so a minor can see an adult ex-boyfriend for 15 minutes? What was so important? I doubt it was to arrange a party the next night, you can use a phone to do that. I doubt it was to get drugs, you can get drugs in Antigo. So, what was so important that MM had to be seen in person?

IMO, it was pretty obvious this was not a platonic relationship. When an adult gets a minor pregnant in Wisconsin, it's automatic prison time. 40 years to life. That's a lot to lose. No victim, no evidence, no prison time. Everybody shuts up and the key players, MM and KK both lawyer up. Circumstantial evidence points at both of them. KB has been missing 15 years. A 15 year old isn't that mature to stay hidden this long on her own. There can only be one conclusion. And it's not a good one.

Obituaries in Wausau, WI | Wausau Daily Herald

Wausau Daily Herald obituaries and death notices. Remembering the lives of those we've lost.

www.wausaudailyherald.com

Interesting that Merrill is on the way to Deerbrook and Potowatomi Casino where I believe MM's brother worked. Do we know whether MM had let KB use his phone that night?
Wausau > Merrill > Deerbrook > Potowatomi

 

[ilovewings]

There is no doubt in my mind the last person to see her has all the answers. I think his story about dropping Kayla off at the Wausau home that went into foreclosure months prior tells me he probably took Kayla's body in the opposite direction—further up north. There's places in northern Wisconsin where a body could be buried and not found for a hundred years if ever—someone like him would know this and know of places. I wish someone he trusts could wear a wire and prod him for information. I also was extremely frustrated when the judge dropped charges of Contributing to the Delinquency of Minor. At least he could have done some time behind bars. Barring the offer of marijuana, this was a 15-year-old girl and he did not get her to ANY destination safely—that we know for a fact. My guess is he tried to pursue Kayla sexually that night after driving somewhere deep into the woods—as teens in the northwoods often do. There, she probably resisted his sexual advances and he killed her. My heart goes out to her mom. I have always felt the investigation was based too heavily on Kayla's occasional venturing off without telling her parents making it seem like a runaway case. I always will look for Kayla's missing items when I'm walking in the woods as I will never forget her and what nightmare it was when she went missing.

After all these years I haven't changed my mind about Kevin and agree with you - I have seen so many true crime cases involving teenage girls where a male "friend" was responsible for the murder of his teenage "friend"-- hormones are raging at that age and often the male 'friend" decides to hit on his "friend" and is rebuffed and kills her. That is what I think happened here. I don't believe the story about dropping her off at that house and not seeing her actually go in. Looks like he got away with murder- here we are in 2025 and case not solved.