WI WI - Lisa Christine Staes, 21, murdered, traveled from Oak Park IL, Baraboo, 1976

[Teamir]

So it looks like there is DNA on this one, per this article.

“For the past 40 years, authorities in Sauk County have worked with DCI to try to solve Staes’ murder. Zunker said he is actively reviewing evidence gathered at the scene to determine what should be resubmitted to the state crime lab. There is a chance Staes’ killer could have DNA in the system.”

 

[Teamir]

I think I figured out that Purple Haze (The Haze) was near the intersection of Hwy 23 and Xanadu Rd (where current day Tamarack Resort is). And from that spot to where her body was found is about 2.5 miles.
Her body was dumped into water off a bridge, on a small side road, reached by another small side road, which was off Hwy 23. That tells me two things: the killers or killer was a local who knew the area; and that somebody saw them together, such that if she’d been dumped in an obvious spot and found quickly, someone would’ve remembered who she was with.
I’d love to know what band was playing that weekend or night at The Haze. What band was so interesting that she’d come all the way up to WI Dells? I located a comment on FB - someone said their mom would come all the way from Iowa to dance at the Haze.

By 1976 Labor Day it was advertised as The Haze, and they had bands Cheap Trick and REO Speedwagon. So I can see why it drew people from other states.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I think I figured out that Purple Haze (The Haze) was near the intersection of Hwy 23 and Xanadu Rd (where current day Tamarack Resort is). And from that spot to where her body was found is about 2.5 miles.
Her body was dumped into water off a bridge, on a small side road, reached by another small side road, which was off Hwy 23. That tells me two things: the killers or killer was a local who knew the area; and that somebody saw them together, such that if she’d been dumped in an obvious spot and found quickly, someone would’ve remembered who she was with.
I’d love to know what band was playing that weekend or night at The Haze. What band was so interesting that she’d come all the way up to WI Dells? I located a comment on FB - someone said their mom would come all the way from Iowa to dance at the Haze.

By 1976 Labor Day it was advertised as The Haze, and they had bands Cheap Trick and REO Speedwagon. So I can see why it drew people from other states.

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Here are some more maps to help pinpoint the location of her body. I prob posted some of these earlier.

 

[Teamir]

Well I’m currently stumped on if The Haze was open in early January. I haven’t found an ad from that time, yet. Since LE thought she was killed elsewhere, placed in a car trunk then driven to Lake Delton, what about Oak Park IL lines of inquiry? That’s where she was last seen. I found a pic of Oak Park pedestrian mall from Jan 1976.

 

[Teamir]

I spent 2+ weeks going deep into this case. I don't believe The Haze was even open that week, and she went missing on a Tuesday. So I shifted focus and did newspaper searches in Wisconsin Dells, of people from Oak Park IL that regularly visited. My theory is that she was killed in Oak Park, and someone used going to the Dells as an excuse to get out of town, and then dumped her body there. I found just a huge amount of Oak Park/Lake Delton/Dells connections. Most interestingly, I found two families that visited regularly and had sons that were Lisa's age. One of those families STOPPED visiting regularly after her murder, and another family might have a son that was convicted of assaulting a woman prior in IL. I created a very large detailed file, and sent it off to Sauk County. I hope it's useful to them. And as always, I really hope there's DNA available.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I spent 2+ weeks going deep into this case. I don't believe The Haze was even open that week, and she went missing on a Tuesday. So I shifted focus and did newspaper searches in Wisconsin Dells, of people from Oak Park IL that regularly visited. My theory is that she was killed in Oak Park, and someone used going to the Dells as an excuse to get out of town, and then dumped her body there. I found just a huge amount of Oak Park/Lake Delton/Dells connections. Most interestingly, I found two families that visited regularly and had sons that were Lisa's age. One of those families STOPPED visiting regularly after her murder, and another family might have a son that was convicted of assaulting a woman prior in IL. I created a very large detailed file, and sent it off to Sauk County. I hope it's useful to them. And as always, I really hope there's DNA available.

Another possible clue was speculated by Sheriff Alan Shanks in the Wisconsin State Journal, Thu, Apr 29, 1976, Page 1 (Newspapers.com) "He said there is a belief the woman might have been an entertainer, possibly a go-go dancer because she had well-developed leg muscles and calloused feet...Shanks said she may have been smothered by a pillow or similar object. She had been stripped of all clothing, jewelry or any other identification."​

Her body had been found curled in a fetal position and she died of asphyxiation. Baraboo News Republic, Tue, Sep 07, 1976, Page 1, shows there was a disturbance at a rock concert at an outdoor rock concert at the Haze Tavern Sep 6, so we know that it was at least open on a Monday then. Most ads in the local papers show it open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Even Sunday.​

 

[Teamir]

Another possible clue was speculated by Sheriff Alan Shanks in the Wisconsin State Journal, Thu, Apr 29, 1976, Page 1 (Newspapers.com) "He said there is a belief the woman might have been an entertainer, possibly a go-go dancer because she had well-developed leg muscles and calloused feet...Shanks said she may have been smothered by a pillow or similar object. She had been stripped of all clothing, jewelry or any other identification."​

Her body had been found curled in a fetal position and she died of asphyxiation. Baraboo News Republic, Tue, Sep 07, 1976, Page 1, shows there was a disturbance at a rock concert at an outdoor rock concert at the Haze Tavern Sep 6, so we know that it was at least open on a Monday then. Most ads in the local papers show it open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Even Sunday.​

Once they identified her body, they determined that she had not been a go-go dancer. My head is spinning from searches, but I do remember the sheriff (I think) saying that. And I really really liked the Haze angle, until I searched and searched for ads for the Haze during December and January, in the Wisconsin Dells Events newspaper, and found absolutely nothing. And September 6 of 1976 was Labor Day, so I think that's why it was open on a Monday.

I was discouraged about The Haze rejected theory for a minute, but that's why I shifted to it being someone from Oak Park. The other thing is that the LE at the time thought she'd been transported in the truck of a vehicle. I'm not sure why they thought that. I'll have to find that quote. But I'm no longer thinking that she went willingly to Lake Delton.

Keep the ideas coming, this is really good stuff. If they have even a scrap of DNA, I think this one can pop open again. Fingers crossed.

 

[Teamir]

I’m down so many rabbit holes on this one, and hitting dead end after dead end. So I’m still holding onto the two families that visited Lake Delton often. For those two families I’m waiting on a source for Oak Park research. Sadly, Oak Park newspaper isn’t on newspapers dot com.

However, the son that I thought had a possible assault history was someone with same first and last name, nearby, within two months of birth date, but not of the same family that visited Lake Delton - dead end. That was a painful search of name compared to addresses. Then I searched by those addresses to see who else lived there in the 60s and 70s, and that’s how I figured out it was a different family.

Then I found a reference to a man visiting Lake Delton from out of the area the day after she went missing in Oak Park. Super suspect on a Wednesday, right?! But he was from a WI town northeast of WI Dells, and about 40 yrs older than her. Dead end.

I dug into the Zamistil serial killer idea. He was in CA at the time - dead end.

But I did find another Oak Park connection that’s interesting. Remember how they thought Lisa might’ve been a go go dancer but once identified they said she wasn’t? I’m curious if she merely liked to dance, a lot. Because I found a dance instructor that used to live in Lake Delton but was living in Oak Park (I believe) at the time of her death. Slightly older than her but still could be interesting. And for some reason it’s a red flag to me when someone doesn’t have an obituary but others in their family do. Silly, I know. But he doesn’t have an obituary.

 

[Teamir]

I did an open records request for Sauk County which was rejected because it’s an open case. That’s fine, I actually expected it. I did an open records request for the missing person report in Oak Park, and they couldn’t find anything. Also, the cousin who she was visiting is deceased so LE wouldn’t be able to reinterview her.

I really think this one would need genetic genealogy. I say that a lot but it’s true of so many old cold cases.

 

[Teamir]

I have better details on where she was the night she went missing. She went out with a male cousin to Rush St in Chicago, which was known for it's vibrant nightlife. So, not missing from Oak Park; that's just where her cousins lived, that she was visiting at the time. That opens up the suspect pool to basically a wide range of possibilities.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I have better details on where she was the night she went missing. She went out with a male cousin to Rush St in Chicago, which was known for it's vibrant nightlife. So, not missing from Oak Park; that's just where her cousins lived, that she was visiting at the time. That opens up the suspect pool to basically a wide range of possibilities.

I know you don't know the answers to these, but... Did her male cousin get separated from her and lose sight of her on Rush St.? What bars did they go to? What bar were they last at? Did he look for her? Was she with someone when he left her? Did he return home without her? Oak Park and Rush St are 20 miles apart. Seems unsafe to leave a young girl from another city on her own that far from home. The circumstances/details on exactly how she went missing after going out with a male cousin are pretty important, IMO. The devil is in the details. Sounds like the Kelly Nolan case.

 

[Teamir]

I know you don't know the answers to these, but... Did her male cousin get separated from her and lose sight of her on Rush St.? What bars did they go to? What bar were they last at? Did he look for her? Was she with someone when he left her? Did he return home without her? Oak Park and Rush St are 20 miles apart. Seems unsafe to leave a young girl from another city on her own that far from home. The circumstances/details on exactly how she went missing after going out with a male cousin are pretty important, IMO. The devil is in the details. Sounds like the Kelly Nolan case.

I just cannot believe they didn’t clarify this in the newspaper articles at the time she was identified! If someone from Wisconsin Dells or Lake Delton frequented Rush St, and the news had reported that’s where she went missing from, they might’ve had a specific tip from the public about a local known to go there. Extremely frustrating.

Missing from Oak Park IL is a far cry from missing from one of the country’s most electric club scenes. Rush St in the 1970s had busy clubs, bars, drinking, dancing, drugs, etc. every day of the week.

 

[Teamir]

I still have a contact doing local research for me, pending. Ive looked into more about what Rush Street was like at that time. It was apparently comparable to a Vegas-light, without casinos. So clubs, famous singers/actors, bands, dancing, drugs, mobsters, and a lot of places open and hopping every day of the week. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d gotten separated from her cousin that she went there with.

If she’d disappeared from Oak Park, I’d have thought the killer was from Oak Park. But now I’m thinking the killer could have been from either Chicago general area OR Lake Delton/Wisconsin Dells.

If the killer was from Lake Delton, and went to Rush Street to party, then I’m SURE he’d have also frequented The (Purple) Haze club in Lake Delton. Did LE canvass locals who went to The Haze or ask the owners for ideas?

 

[Teamir]

Today I emailed LE suggesting testing of evidence by Othram, and publicizing that she went missing from Rush Street, not Oak Park. Unless I misunderstood what I was told but I’m pretty sure that’s what he meant when he said she went with a male cousin to Rush Street that night.

 

[SpringDonut77]

Today I emailed LE suggesting testing of evidence by Othram, and publicizing that she went missing from Rush Street, not Oak Park. Unless I misunderstood what I was told but I’m pretty sure that’s what he meant when he said she went with a male cousin to Rush Street that night.

This podcast has a lot of info. on the night she went missing and evidence in the case. Lisa Staes - Jack of Diamonds, Wisconsin - The Deck

 

[Teamir]

This podcast has a lot of info. on the night she went missing and evidence in the case. Lisa Staes - Jack of Diamonds, Wisconsin - The Deck

Oh that was so much good info thank you! So she was last seen on Rush Street at a club called Mother’s, where she told her cousin Curt/Kurt that she’d met a guy and would be going home with him. The previous night she’d gone home with a guy (who was cleared) and took the L Train back to Oak Park by herself.

Evidence: a few pubic hairs and semen but the podcast seems to imply that all samples have been sent to a lab and none could develop a full DNA profile. That’s super discouraging.

And serial killer Zamastil is denying responsibility.

 

[BooImAGhost]

I think more local coverage on the story would help tremendously. I know the Sherriff's Dept. is working on other cold cases in the area so I am hopeful that Lisa's case will be heard by more people.

 

[Quoththeraven]

Oh that was so much good info thank you! So she was last seen on Rush Street at a club called Mother’s, where she told her cousin Curt/Kurt that she’d met a guy and would be going home with him. The previous night she’d gone home with a guy (who was cleared) and took the L Train back to Oak Park by herself.

Evidence: a few pubic hairs and semen but the podcast seems to imply that all samples have been sent to a lab and none could develop a full DNA profile. That’s super discouraging.

And serial killer Zamastil is denying responsibility.

I agree, very good podcast made in cooperation with all LE agencies involved. The Jack of Diamonds (Lisa Staes) on the above webpage link was Courtesy of Wisconsin Association of Homicide Investigators. The podcast names the cousins, the female cousin she was staying with and the one who she went out with, the male cousin. It also shows a picture of the bridge she was found at. They did find pubic hairs on the body. If they have any samples left I would think Othram Labs could analyze them and find a match. Genetic testing has come a long ways since the 90's. IMO, Chicago authorites were incompetent in this case.

William Floyd Zamastil, a serial killer, who also murdered an FBI agent's daughter, was a suspect, but they weren't sure his list of demands was because he wanted to help or because he wanted to serve his life sentence at a different prison, so that went nowhere. Accolades to Sauk County LE and the Leawood, KS LE for their part in identifying Lisa.

William Floyd Zamastil | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

Murderpedia, the free online encyclopedic dictionary of murderers. The largest database about serial killers, mass murderers and spree killers around the world

murderpedia.org

Lisa Staes - Jack of Diamonds, Wisconsin - The Deck

In the winter of 1976, Lisa Staes was trying to figure out what exactly she wanted to do with her life

thedeckpodcast.com

According to the link at Newspapers.com, The Capital Times Fri, Aug 25, 1978 Page 2, Zamistil was tried for the Aug 1, 1978 abduction, rape and murder of Mary Johnson, 23, of Junction City, WI. Her body, like Lisa's, was found in Sauk County, in Derleth Park, Sauk City, WI. Lisa's was found under a bridge on Mirror Lake Road, near Mirror Lake State Park, 23 miles away.

 

[Richard]

Lisa Christine Staes, age 21, Murdered 1976

Mystery Woman's Body Finally Identified
By Richard W. Jaeger
Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, Wisconsin
20 May 1977, Fri • Page 1


BARABOO The frozen, nude body of a young woman found under a bridge near Lake Delton more than a year ago has been identified as Lisa Christine Staes, 21, a missing Kansas coed. Sauk County Sheriff Alan Shanks said Thursday that Miss Staes, a Leawood, Kan., resident, was reported missing on Jan. 13, 1976 by relatives she had been visiting in Oak Park, Ill. Her body was found by a fisherman beneath a bridge near Interstate 90-94 on Jan. 24, 1976. Shanks refused to give the cause of death because of a pending investigation. Earlier reports, however, said the young woman had been murdered, possibly smothered with a pillow or similar object. "We do feel she was murdered," Shanks said. "We think she was killed somewhere else and brought to where her body was discovered, possibly in the trunk of a car." Shanks said he didn't have any suspects in the case but expected the investigation to "move right along" now that an identification had been made. Identifying the Penn Valley Community College coed brought to a close more than a year of investigation by the sheriff's department and State Justice Dept., which involved following up several hundred calls and tips from as far away as New York to California... more at link.

LINK:

Lisa Christine Staes (1955-1976) - Find a Grave...

Mystery Woman's Body Finally Identified By Richard W. Jaeger Of The State Journal BARABOO The frozen, nude body of a young woman found under a bridge near Lake Delton more than a year ago has been identified as Lisa Christine Staes, 21, a missing Kansas coed. Sauk County Sheriff Alan Shanks...

www.findagrave.com