Special Announcement – Tips/Facebook!!
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!
Vernon County Crime Stoppers is pleased to announce that we now have a new program that allows you to submit tips in many different ways…web, text, Facebook, phone, mail. Yes, that is right…FACEBOOK and TEXT-A-TIP!!!
Besides calling us on the phone or mailing in a tip, you can now get on our website (www.vernoncrimestoppers.com) or our Facebook page and submit an anonymous tip!!! And better yet…you can now TEXT-A-TIP by getting on your cell phone and sending an anonymous tip to 274637 (CRIMES). When you text a tip, make sure you put the keyword of VERN in the message and then add your tip.
Crime Stoppers friends, we are very excited about this new program but now we really need your help! Please jot down these contact numbers and help us SPREAD THE WORD!!! If you are serious about keeping your community safe, you must help us by sharing this announcement and giving these contact numbers to your relatives, friends, co-workers, etc. Thank you so much for being our partner! It is YOU who keeps us going! Stay tuned for more crimes to be posted on our Facebook page/website and remember….submit your ANONYMOUS tips and earn some CASH!!
Cold Case Homicide – Need Your Help!
Vernon County Crime Stoppers wants you to received a cash reward by helping us solve a 1984 homicide. The case summary is as follows and make sure you click on the link after the summary to view poster:
On Friday, May 4, 1984 between 11:15pm and 11:30pm, three area youth were driving along Old Line Road approximately 4 miles west of Westby when they encountered a dead human body lying at the side of the gravel road. The youth drove to a nearby farm and reported, by telephone, the finding to the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office.
A patrol deputy was dispatched from the Sheriff’s Office in Viroqua and that deputy met the callers near the scene. After a brief discussion, the reporting persons led the deputy to the location of the body. Upon arriving at the body at about 11:50pm, the deputy noted vehicle tracks making a U-turn on the freshly graveled road. The body appeared to be that of an older female that had been murdered by bludgeoning about the head. The female’s hands were missing after being severed at the wrists. It also appeared that she was not killed where she was found and was likely dumped at the roadside by someone in a short wheel base vehicle that had made the U-turn. Once other officers arrived, the scene was photographed and processed with the assistance of the Wisconsin Crime Laboratory Bureau. After an autopsy was completed, it was determined that the woman died of head injuries. Her dentures, which contained some numbers, had been fractured in the course of being killed. In the following days and weeks, neighborhoods were canvassed, many tips pursued, the investigation was expanded to involve many outside agencies, and the female remained unidentified.
The next evening after television reports of the homicide aired, a couple from rural Westby called and reported seeing something unusual on Cut-Across Road near US Highway14 between Westby and Coon Valley. The couple reported seeing a parked, bright yellow compact car with a man outside of it. The man was moving around to the driver’s side from the passenger side at about 9:45pm on May 4, 1984. Investigators checked the area described by the couple and near some tire tracks, they found a piece of the fractured denture, some blood and a man’s Seiko wristwatch. The watch’s band had separated from the watch at one end. The tire tracks had fluffed up the gravel in an apparent rapid acceleration. Officers were able to theorize that the suspect had pulled off US Highway 14 and made an attempt to dump the victim there, when suddenly the couple interrupted him. As he drove away, the tires spun. The car then went south then west on Old Line Road about three miles and left the victim where she was found. The wristwatch was examined by Seiko and the Wisconsin Crime Laboratory. The couple was not able to determine the exact make and model of the compact car but did identify a bright yellow color associated with a 1982 Datsun from a color chart. Thousands of state DOT vehicle records and manufacturer archives were examined but no vehicle of significant interest surfaced at the time.
In the following months and the next 28 years, over 400 leads to missing females from age 50 to 65 have been investigated in trying to identify this homicide victim. She remains Jane Doe today. Bulletins have been designed and circulated through police and coroner circles, dental laboratory journals, and cold case groups across the country.
The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office, as well as other law enforcement partners, continues to pursue the identity of Jane Doe and her killer. Current Sheriff John Spears supports the initiative. The Cold Case Unit of the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation and Crime Laboratory Bureau are again assisting in the investigation.
Burglary – Readstown
Sometime on Friday, February 24, 2012, between the hours of 1:00AM-4:30PM, the Lil Deadwood Saloon in the village of Readstown was burglarized. After entry was made to the business, an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen along with some bottles of liquor including Jack Daniels, Captain Morgan and Southern Comfort. Also stolen were some black and red neck beads.
It is hoped that details of this actual case from police records may cause someone to remember and report what they know about the person or persons involved. Callers may be eligible for cash rewards up to $1,000.00.
Business Burglaries – DeSoto/Genoa
Sometime on Wednesday night, December 28, 2011, or the early morning hours of Thursday, December 29, 2011, two businesses in the Village of Genoa and two businesses in the Village of DeSoto were broken into. The Genoa businesses were Chris’s Clip Joint, which is a hair salon, and Old Tool Shed Antiques. The DeSoto businesses included The River Lounge.
In DeSoto, entry to The River Lounge was gained by breaking a window on the front door. Stolen was an undetermined amount of cash and some bottles of alcohol.
In Genoa, entry to Chris’s Clip Joint was gained through the front door. Entry to Old Tool Shed Antiques was gained through a back door. Stolen from the antique store was an undermined amount of cash and three antique handguns. ***This case has been solved! Thanks to the public for your assistance!!!
Gator Stolen – Town of Genoa
Sometime between Tuesday, September 20, 2011 and Friday, October 7, 2011, a farm building on South Creek Rd in the Town of Genoa was burglarized. Stolen from the building were a 2001 John Deere six-wheel trail gator and a gas can. The gator was a camouflage-type green color with a “slow moving vehicle” sign on the back and a brush guard on the front.
The gator was then driven out of the building and was driven down the road.
It is hoped that details of this actual case from police records may cause someone to remember and report what they know about the person or persons involved. Callers may be eligible for cash rewards up to $1,000.00.
Burglary – STH 56 West of Viroqua
Vernon County Crime Stoppers, along with the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office, is asking for your help.
Sometime between 7:30PM on Monday, September 26, 2011 and 7:00AM on Tuesday, September 27, 2011, two farm buildings on property located in the area of State Highway 56/Sidie Hollow Rd in the Town of Jefferson were entered and many items within the buildings were stolen. Property stolen from the buildings included knives, pedal tractor, weather vane, wooden spinning wheel, axe, drill bits, sheet metal tools, drills, grinders, ammunition, pistol, shotgun, mesh steel garden wagon, welding helmet and other miscellaneous tools. Some of these items were antiques.
The suspect(s) in this burglary came to the property in a vehicle. While on the property, the suspect(s) drove through a garden and also moved a utility trailer into one of the buildings.
It is hoped that details of this actual case from police records may cause someone to remember and report what they know about the person or persons involved. Callers may be eligible for cash rewards up to $1,000.00.
Vernon Electric – Operation Roundup
Vernon County Crimestoppers would like to thank Vernon Electric for their donations to our program as part of their Operation Roundup program. Through this program you can volunteer to have your electric bill “rounded up” to the nearest dollar and have that change donated to the Operation Round Up Trust Fund. Money from Operation Round Up can not only be used to help pay medical expenses to needy families, but it can also be used to help buy equipment for volunteer fire departments, playground equipment, construction or repair costs for buildings and homes, youth programs and much, much more. “Mange Takk” (Many Thanks) to Vernon Electric!
Church Burglary – City of Westby
On Monday, June 27, 2011 at 06:30AM, there was a burglary reported at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in the City of Westby. The burglary occurred between 12:00AM – 06:00AM Sunday Night/Monday Morning. A crowbar was used to gain entry through a back door and a sledge hammer or splitting maul was used to open the safe. It is believed that there was more than one suspect involved.
Crimestoppers Benches
As a way of partnering with our local businesses, Crimestoppers has benches that can be purchased and placed in front of your business. The benches have been a hot item and they are a way to promote Crimestoppers and your business at the same time. If your business would like to purchase a bench, contact us!!!
Burglary – City of Westby
Sometime on Wednesday night, April 13, 2011, or the early morning hours of Thursday, April 14, 2011, one of the buildings at Westby Moulding and Millwork, which is located on the south side of the City of Westby, was broken into. Damage to the building consisted of a broken exterior window. Stolen from the business was a large amount of electrical wire. ***This case has been solved! Thanks to the public for your assistance!!!