84-year-old sentenced to life in prison for killing Minneapolis woman more than 50 years ago

A Minnesota man, Jon Keith Miller, will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading "no contest" to the murder of Mary Schlais, a 25-year-old woman he picked up while she was hitchhiking in 1974. Schlais was found dead in Spring Brook, Wisconsin, on February 15 of that year, while Miller was 33 at the time. The case remained cold for nearly five decades, despite critical evidence including a stocking cap left at the crime scene and a witness who spotted Miller's car, though he misremembered its color.

The breakthrough in the case came when genetic genealogy experts examined DNA from the stocking cap, a method that has been effectively used in solving other cold cases, including the infamous Golden State Killer arrest in 2018. Miller spoke openly about the murder in interviews, confessing to KARE 11 that he attempted to engage Schlais sexually, and when she refused, he resorted to stabbing her. He was unaware of the cap being left behind until investigators shared a photo of it with him.

During the court proceedings, video footage was shown to highlight Miller's admissions to law enforcement about his involvement in the crime. Despite having the chance to speak at his hearing, he chose to remain silent. However, his previous statements reveal a significant lack of reflection on the crime over the past five decades.

Schlais, who was an honors graduate from the University of Minnesota, was hitchhiking to Chicago for an art show at the time of her death. Dunn County Sheriff Kevin Bygd emphasized the risks of hitchhiking during that era, noting that such actions were not uncommon then but are now viewed as dangerous, especially for young people.

Family members of Schlais attended the court session to witness the verdict, marking the end of a long journey for justice that began with her tragic death nearly 50 years ago.