WI WI - Mary Schlais, 25, Dunn County, 15 February 1974

[imstilla.grandma]

Another cold case, that of hitchhiker Mary K. Schlais, stabbed to death in 1974, was also solved with DNA testing. The results of that testing prompted police to arrest 84-year-old Jon Miller, said the Dunn County Sheriff's Office at a recorded news conference." According to Dan Westlund, an investigator who worked the case, the victim's family was relieved to learn police had made an arrest.

"We don't want to forget that this is about justice for Mary and bringing her family closure," Westlund told the media at the news conference. "Mary can be remembered as an accomplished artist, equestrian, sister and daughter.

Five Cold Cases Solved in 2024 Because of New Technology

Five cold cases solved, while U.S. homicide rate in 2024 is predicted to return to levels recorded in 2019, and as family members of murdered victims find closure.

www.psychologytoday.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

*In November, an 84-year-old man from Austin, Minnesota, was arrested and charged with the 1974 murder of Mary Schlais from Minneapolis. When Dunn County investigators showed Jon Keith Miller the evidence they had against him, he admitted he was the killer, according to the criminal complaint.

Now, in a jailhouse confession through a series of interviews with KARE 11 News, Miller provides new details about the murder, whether he had ever done anything similar, and his plan to spare the victim's family a trial by pleading guilty at an upcoming court hearing.

 

[summergirl1]

A cold case killer's confession

The man charged with the 1974 murder of Mary Schlais in Dunn County says he plans to plead guilty.

www.kare11.com

 

[Quoththeraven]

*In November, an 84-year-old man from Austin, Minnesota, was arrested and charged with the 1974 murder of Mary Schlais from Minneapolis. When Dunn County investigators showed Jon Keith Miller the evidence they had against him, he admitted he was the killer, according to the criminal complaint.

Now, in a jailhouse confession through a series of interviews with KARE 11 News, Miller provides new details about the murder, whether he had ever done anything similar, and his plan to spare the victim's family a trial by pleading guilty at an upcoming court hearing.

Cold-blooded aka a sociopath.

Lack of remorse or guilt
Impulsivity and aggressiveness
Deceitfulness and manipulation
Irresponsibility and disregard for consequences
Difficulty maintaining relationships
Lack of empathy

 

[summergirl1]

It's interesting that he is so honest or maybe upfront is a better word. It's possible this is not the whole truth about potential crimes he's committed, though I tend to believe him about that. It seems he figures he has nothing left to lose at this point. He is old and could have been gone anyway so he seems to be at peace with spending his last years behind bars.

He's not a good guy, but as murderers go, especially with this type of murder where he did not know the victim before, it's good and interesting that he just admits it and admits to what led him to do it. Many killers are much more reserved or it's hard for LE to get info out of them when they do give info, even when their reputation is already down the drain. Some killers do seem to care about that, in particular perhaps if they led a normal life for years. Some killers seem to enjoy withholding info (in some cases as a bargaining chip), and some just don't care probably. This guy doesn't care in the opposite direction in some ways. He doesn't care if he's known to be guilty by his own admission. He seems to have a very matter of fact personality in his statements, like the one about an apology will be too late although he's sorry. It's rather unusual for a killer like this. Interesting..

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“I picked this girl up. I asked for sex, and she said no. And I stabbed her and put her in a snowbank,” Miller told KARE 11 reporter Lou Raguse. “Maybe I have no feelings, I have no idea.”

A cold case killer’s confession

KARE 11 interviewed Jon Keith Miller.

www.weau.com

 

[Quoththeraven]

“I picked this girl up. I asked for sex, and she said no. And I stabbed her and put her in a snowbank,” Miller told KARE 11 reporter Lou Raguse. “Maybe I have no feelings, I have no idea.”

A cold case killer’s confession

KARE 11 interviewed Jon Keith Miller.

www.weau.com

WI Post in thread 'WI - Mary Schlais, 25, Dunn County, 15 February 1974'

May 1, 2020

Detectives are actively searching for 25-year-old Mary Schlais' killer. Schlais was murdered in 1974 and her body dumped in southeast Dunn County.

The former Dunn County sheriff says a witness saw a man take her body out of a trunk and drag it to the side of 408th Avenue. That's near Elk Creek Lake about 4 miles west of Eau Claire.

"Well, we bought the house in 1970," says Mary Dodge, who still remembers when Schlais’ body was found about 200 yards away.

She was home that afternoon and still lives in that same house. She remembers that day when a delivery man...

• Quoththeraven

• 

The former Dunn County sheriff says a witness saw a man take her body out of a trunk and drag it to the side of 408th Avenue.

So he stabbed her because she refused sex? Then he put her bloody body in the trunk? I doubt he stabbed her in the car right after she refused sex and got blood all over his vehicle. IMO, he left a few details out in his simple confession.

I think he asked for sex and was refused or he demanded sex at knifepoint, then sexually assaulted her at knifepoint, stabbed her somewhere outside the car (while she was standing up), put her in the trunk, drove to the location where she was found, dragged her body out of the car and dumped her in the snowbank. This monster doesn't want to admit he's a rapist, too. He was previously arrested for burglary and many burglars are rapists.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

A hat discovered at the scene was the key to unlocking the case. Recent advanced DNA testing yielded a positive genetic profile from the hat.

That DNA was submitted to New Jersey’s Ramapo College, which has a program specializing in investigative genetic genealogy. Utilizing the DNA profile, the team worked their way back through a family tree, which eventually led them to Miller.

Advanced DNA testing could be the key to unlocking the 1974 deaths of two sisters

The cold case killings of Mary and Susie Reker has plagued the Stearns County Sheriff's Office for decades. Now, investigators hope technological DNA advancements will help solve the case.

www.siouxfallslive.com

 

[dotr]

Mar 28, 2025
Jon Miller, 84, was sentenced to life in prison for killing Mary Schlais, a hitchhiker who was headed to a Chicago art show in 1974.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Jon Keith Miller ’s confession to the 1974 murder of 25-year-old Mary Schlais can be heard on The Vault podcast’s current season, “Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots.”

Killer's arrest footage featured in The Vault podcast series

Part 3 of Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots includes audio from Jon Keith Miller's arrest for the 1974 murder of 25-year-old Mary Schlais

www.superiortelegram.com

 

[Ssschu]

*In November, an 84-year-old man from Austin, Minnesota, was arrested and charged with the 1974 murder of Mary Schlais from Minneapolis. When Dunn County investigators showed Jon Keith Miller the evidence they had against him, he admitted he was the killer, according to the criminal complaint.

Now, in a jailhouse confession through a series of interviews with KARE 11 News, Miller provides new details about the murder, whether he had ever done anything similar, and his plan to spare the victim's family a trial by pleading guilty at an upcoming court hearing.

The witness was able to give a fairly accurate description of him but said he was driving an orange car. Miller says he was actually driving a bright blue car so he thought he'd gotten away with it. This is why I always take any eyewitness testimony with a huge grain of salt.

 

[wts1414x5]

The witness was able to give a fairly accurate description of him but said he was driving an orange car. Miller says he was actually driving a bright blue car so he thought he'd gotten away with it. This is why I always take any eyewitness testimony with a huge grain of salt.

Miller was driving a blue Gremlin with a gold stripe.

 

[wts1414x5]

Cold-blooded aka a sociopath.

Lack of remorse or guilt
Impulsivity and aggressiveness
Deceitfulness and manipulation
Irresponsibility and disregard for consequences
Difficulty maintaining relationships
Lack of empathy

Indeed, Miller’s wife was 3 months pregnant at the time he murdered Mary Schlais. The photos and evidence of Mary’s fight to defend herself is completely inconsistent with his “Confession.”