Baby Angel complaint:
On or about September 5, 2011, at approximately 2:22 pm, Winona County Sheriffs Deputies (collectively “Deputies”) responded to a call concerning a deceased newborn that was found floating in the Mississippi River. The infant was found inside a bag floating on the Minnesota side of the river within the border of Winona County, Minnesota, approximately seven miles south of the City of Winona. The bag containing the infant was found floating in the water by boaters. The inside of the bag also contained a pendant, incense, and several angel figurines.

On September 6, 2011, an autopsy was conducted on the infant. The medical examiner determined the infant appeared to be full-term and was likely a recent birth within a day or two. The infant had a four-inch section of the umbilical cord attached that appeared to have been cut with a sharp-edged instrument. It did not appear the umbilical cord was cut by a medical provider which indicated the infant did not receive medical treatment during or after birth.  The medical examiner noted several fractures on the front and side of the infant’s skull.

There was bleeding on the brain. There was no evidence of medical intervention on the infant. A 2024 updated autopsy review concluded this “normally developed term female infant sustained injuries of the head while alive.”

The evidence shows the skull fractures were sustained while the infant was alive. This is not the type of injury that would have occurred with the assistance of a medical professional during delivery. The incidents of skull fractures during a medically assisted delivery are very low and generally occur in only 2.9% of cases where forceps were used during the birthing process. There is no evidence that medical care was provided during or immediately after delivery. The resultant brain hemorrhages from the skull fractures could have been treated medically and decreased the likelihood of death.

The funeral for Baby Angel was 5 April 2012.

Jennifer Nichole Baechle, 43, is facing two counts of second-degree manslaughter for allegedly placing her newborn in a white tote bag and sending it down the Mississippi River in 2011.

➡️ 24 April 2025 court hearing: Baechle’s unconditional bail was set at $200,000 with her conditional bail set at $20,000 provided that she doesn’t leave the state and is monitored via a GPS. The next court hearing is scheduled for 7 July 2025.

Jennifer Baechle complaint:
On or about May 24, 2023, Deputies requested Defendant provide a voluntary DNA sample. Defendant requested time to think about giving a sample and said she would get back in touch with Deputies. On June 1, 2023, Defendant requested additional time to research the company Deputies were using for genealogy analysis. Deputies then received a letter from a criminal defense lawyer requesting any future contact with Defendant be made through counsel.

Deputies conducted a trash pull search of Defendant’s trash. Deputies collected the trash that was set outside for pickup by the trash collection company. A search of the trash bags revealed information connected to Defendant’s household. Deputies also located a discarded female hygiene product. These items were sent to the BCA laboratory for testing and comparison to the DNA of the infant. The BCA’s report on the DNA testing and comparison confirmed that the infant, found in the bag floating in the Mississippi River on September 5, 2011, could be the biological child of Defendant.

On or about March 19, 2024, Deputies served a search warrant on Defendant to collect DNA. Defendant’s DNA was submitted to the BCA laboratory for testing. The DNA test results indicated the genetic results obtained from the unidentified female infant are 570,000 times more likely to occur in a biological child of Defendant than in someone unrelated to Defendant. The report concluded that this was very strong evidence to support the biological relationship between Defendant and the unidentified female infant as being a biological mother daughter relationship. As the biological mother of the infant, Defendant had a duty to seek medical care on behalf of the infant during pregnancy, birth, and immediately after birth.

Deputies spoke with members of Defendant’s family. The family told Deputies they had not had personal contact with Defendant during 2011. They said Defendant was living in her van in the Winona, Minnesota, area in 2011. Deputies showed Defendant’s family members photographs of the items found with the infant in the bag. Family members immediately recognized the blue pendant as belonging to Defendant. Deputies were also told that Defendant collected angels. They described giving an angel ornament to Defendant every Christmas.

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Just after 2 am on 19 July 1984, Robert A. Miller was murdered inside his south Minneapolis apartment at 3209 Girard Ave South. The case has been cold ever since.

Robert Millers family members thought the case would never be solved!

STATEMENT OF PROBABLE CAUSE

Complainant has investigated the facts and circumstances of this offense and believes the following establishes probable cause:

On July 19, 1984, at approximately 2:30 a.m., Minneapolis police officers responded to multiple 911 calls made from an apartment building located at 3209 Girard Avenue South in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. When officers arrived, two adult females rushed out of the apartment building. The first, Victim 2 (3/3/1951), had a bleeding cut to the left side of her face. The other woman, Witness 1 (5/13/1952), was uninjured but extremely distraught. They reported that an unknown male had broken into their apartment and attacked them with a knife.

Officers entered the apartment and observed the body of a deceased adult male, Victim 1 (8/10/1951) on the floor in a pool of blood near a bedroom doorway. Victim 1 had clearly been stabbed multiple times. An autopsy later revealed that Victim 1 died from numerous stab wounds to his face, head, chest, back, and shoulders.

Police observed that the apartment’s kitchen door, which led to a back exit, was wide open. Crime lab personnel inspected the scene and determined this was the suspect’s likely path of flight from the murder, as there was blood along the route that did not appear to come from Victim 1. Your complainant is aware that it is common for persons wielding a bladed weapon to unintentionally cut themselves during an attack. Crime lab gathered samples of the blood from the kitchen floor, the back exit hallway, and the back exit doorknob.

In 2018, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) developed a DNA profile from blood collected from the kitchen floor and back exit doorknob. Over the next few years, investigators consulted with a genealogist and determined that, based on the DNA profile, Defendant MATTHEW RUSSELL BROWN (3/15/1957) was a suspect. Investigators made multiple attempts to surreptitiously obtain a DNA sample from Defendant and were unsuccessful. Finally, in March of 2023, Police collected a disposable plastic cup that Defendant had used.

The BCA obtained a major male DNA profile from the plastic cup, compared it to the DNA profile obtained from the blood at the crime scene, and determined that the profiles matched. 27CR2311020

Charges:

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SENTENCE DETAILS:
Report on April 28, 2023.
Commit to Commissioner of Corrections at the MN Correctional Facility – months.
Credit for time served amount is 52 days.
This sentence consists of a minimum term of imprisonment equal to two-thirds of the total executed sentence, and a maximum supervised release term equal to one-third of the total executed sentence, unless the sentence is life or life without the possibility of release.
Time to Serve: 326 months

Goodhue County Sheriff Kelly has the following remarks

Today marks the day, after a long 24-years, where justice has been served. Two newborn-babies never had an opportunity to speak, to grow, to learn, to love, and to make an impact in whatever they chose to do. As a parent, the number one unwritten rule of parenthood is to protect your children at all costs. The defendant, the mother of these newborn-babies, betrayed their trust. This betrayal cost two souls from flourishing and a great deal of pain in our community.

Now that the court has spoken, it is important to reflect on how we got here. Law enforcement, those here with us today and others that have retired, are the reason we are here. The tenacity to never quit, to work against all odds, to think outside the box, to sacrifice days, nights, weekends so justice could one day be served. To all of those, as your elected sheriff and community resident, THANK YOU. These babies can now rest in peace and our community can now begin to the long road to heal. PARABON, gave these children a voice. This cutting-edge DNA technology is the reason we can reflect today.

There is no amount of time that the Court can impose on the defendant that will bring back the lives lost.
We are pleased today that the Court imposed a sentence that is fair, just and impactful. The defendant must now not only live with her decisions for 27 years, she will have to reflect on her actions while incarcerated.

Jennifer Lynn Matter has plead guilty to the murder of her baby boy from 2003.  The baby was found at Lake Pepin Methodist Campus Beach.  Matter’s dna also comes back to a baby girl found in 1999 at Lower Boat Harbor of the Mississippi River near Red Wing.  She has not yet been charged in the death from 1999.

When arrested and interviewed, matters denied any connection to the baby.  After another interview Matter told police that she was in and out of jail, drinking too much, doing a lot of stupid things, back in 1999 and admitted that she was pregnant. She said she didn’t know about the pregnancy until she started bleeding one day as she was dropping off two other children at their school and daycare.

She delivered at home in the bathroom. She said she freaked out when the baby was blue and not breathing, not crying. She wrapped the baby and left the baby’s body at Bay Point Park in Red Wing in the middle of the night.

She told investigators she didn’t remember a second baby, but later said it was in Frontenac, and said she was almost positive she was at a public beach alone when she went into labor. She was trying to lay low because she had an arrest warrant and believed cops were looking for her.  She said she didn’t remember if the baby was crying, but said it was breathing fine.

She said she left the baby on the beach before driving away, and said she did not have a plan about leaving the baby in a safe place, but hoped that someone in the nearby houses would find the baby.

Genetic genealogy and rapid DNA testing were both employed to develop a break in the case and then quickly confirm the identity of the babies’ mother, Minnesota BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. These kinds of scientific advances that can aid investigations are happening all the time. That is why it is so important to never give up on any unsolved case.

It’s not known if or when Matter will be charged with the 1999 murder.

NEWS RELEASE
May 09, 2022
Office of Communications

Red Wing Woman Arrested for 2003 Death of Baby Found in Lake Pepin
Woman Also Identified Through DNA as Mother of Baby Found in Mississippi River in 1999

ST. PAUL — The Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) today announced an arrest in the 2003 death of a newborn baby boy discovered deceased in Lake Pepin in 2003.

The woman, Jennifer Lynn Matter, 50, of Belvidere Township, was recently identified through DNA as the child’s mother.

Goodhue County deputies and BCA agents took Matter into custody at 6:38 a.m. Monday at her Belvidere Township home without incident. She has been charged via complaint with Second Degree Murder – With Intent – Not Premeditated and Second Degree Murder – Without Intent. Matter is currently in the Goodhue County Jail. Matter is scheduled to appear in Goodhue County District Court on Tuesday. Additional information about the charges is available in the criminal complaint. Her booking photo is provided here on behalf of the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office.

The baby boy was discovered deceased on December 7, 2003, in Lake Pepin at the Methodist Campus Beach in Frontenac. A second child, a newborn baby girl found deceased on November 4, 1999, in the Lower Boat Harbor of the Mississippi River near Red Wing, was also determined through DNA to be Matter’s child.

While exhaustive investigative efforts over the years did not lead to a suspect, a recent effort to learn about the babies’ parentage through genetic genealogy resulted in a lead that ultimately led investigators to Matter. Investigators obtained a court order to obtain a DNA sample from Matter and BCA forensic scientists confirmed the match to both children using Rapid DNA technology.

“The tenacity of several investigators in our office to obtain justice for these babies and the perseverance by our community who assisted us in finding answers have led us here today,” Goodhue County Sheriff Marty Kelly said. “We pray today’s arrest and charges provide some closure to all of those effected.”

“Genetic genealogy and Rapid DNA testing were both employed to develop a break in the case and then ​quickly confirm the identity of the babies’ mother,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. “These kinds of scientific advances that can aid investigations are happening all the time. That is why it is so important to never give up on any unsolved case.”

“I want to recognize the persistence, hard work, and dedication of our law enforcement professionals who have put so much of themselves into solving this case,” Goodhue County Attorney Stephen O’Keefe said.

The genetic genealogy work was completed by Parabon NanoLabs. Learn more about genetic genealogy testing. This testing was funded by donations from the people of Goodhue County. All agencies involved in this investigation and prosecution are appreciative of the community for their contribution that ultimately led to a break in this case.

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Views: 60

At about 3:30 p.m. on May 8, 1979, 18-year-old Marlys Wohlenhaus was discovered by her mother in a downstairs room of their Afton home covered in blood with her head “bashed in.”   Wohlenhaus had several star-shaped cuts on her scalp and her skull was fractured.   The injuries caused uncontrollable bleeding and severe brain injury. Wohlenhaus was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery, but the next day she was taken off a respirator and pronounced dead.   An autopsy also revealed broken fingers and bruises on both hands.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department investigated the murder and had several leads.   The leads included a neighbor who saw a car fishtail out of Wohlenhaus’s driveway at about 3:15 p.m. on May 8, the day Wohlenhaus was assaulted.   Also, a friend of Wohlenhaus testified that on the night before Wohlenhaus’s death, she and Wohlenhaus had been at a restaurant in Afton and Wohlenhaus had appeared upset upon seeing a man sitting in the back of the restaurant.   The man had light blond hair and was wearing a leather coat, sunglasses, and a baseball cap.   The man apparently followed the two women on a motorcycle after they left the restaurant.   Despite the investigation of several suspects, no one was charged in connection with Wohlenhaus’s death.

In 1998, Joseph Donald Ture, Jr. was convicted of first-degree murder for the May 1979 death of Marlys Wohlenhaus.

You can read Ture’s appeal here: Supreme Court of Minnesota. Joseph Donald TURE, Jr., petitioner, Appellant, v. STATE of Minnesota, Respondent.

48 Hours The Murder Of Marlys Wohlenhaus Forensic Files

Views: 110

The Chisholm PD contacted the BCA about providing a DNA sample to Parabon NanoLabs, a lab that analyzes genealogy databases and helps LE identify case leads. The BCA lab coordinated with the company to provide a DNA sample from Daugherty’s decades-old evidence. Parabon identified Carbo as a suspect in the case.

From the court documents:

→ LE learned that Carbo was living less than a mile from the crime scene in 1986.

→ Carbo attended school with Daugherty’s children.

→ LE began surveilling Carbo’s Chisholm apartment on July 23.

→ Authorities collected DNA evidence from Carbo’s garbage they watched him carry outside. The trash was sent in for DNA testing.

→ LE learned the DNA collected from Carbo’s garbage also matched evidence collected from the crime scene.

→ LE received a DNA sample from Carbo on 29 July 2020 and sent it to the BCA laboratory for testing.
Carbo’s DNA profile was consistent with the DNA profile.

Nothing about a motive!

Carbo next court date is 6 August 2020.

Breaking News: Nancy Jane Daugherty murder 1986 Solved

Nancy Jane Daugherty murder 1986

Here are pictures of Carbo I got off of his Fb:

Views: 92

Please help bring closure to the family and friends of Nancy Daugherty
Reward of up to $50,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the death of Nancy Daugherty.

Anyone with information about the above crime is requested to contact the Chisholm Police Department at 218-254-7916 or the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Cold Case Homicide Unit at 651-793- 7000 or 1-877-996-6222.

NEWS RELEASE
Bruce Gordon, Director of Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2020

Arrest Made in Chisholm Cold Case Homicide
DNA Match Leads to Arrest of Local Man in Murder of Nancy Daugherty

​ST. PAUL — The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the Chisholm Police Department have made an arrest in the 1986 murder of Nancy Daugherty of Chisholm.

Michael Allan Carbo Jr., 52, of Chisholm, was taken into custody earlier today and booked into the St. Louis County Jail in Virginia on probable cause 2nd Degree Murder.

BCA agents and Chisholm police investigators arrested Carbo after receiving confirmation from the BCA laboratory earlier today that Carbo’s DNA matched DNA from the crime scene.

Nancy Daugherty was last seen alive just after Midnight on July 16, 1986. That afternoon, Chisholm police officers conducting a welfare check located Nancy Daugherty deceased inside of her home. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. Evidence at the scene indicated that a struggle had occurred both outside and inside the home. Witnesses later reported hearing a woman screaming in the early morning hours.

BCA scientists obtained a full DNA suspect profile from bodily fluids found on the victim and at the scene. But the DNA did not match any persons in the criminal DNA database.

Over the years investigators interviewed and collected DNA from more than 100 people. Periodic case reviews also happened over the years, but none led to a solid lead in the case, and periodic comparisons of evidence DNA to the DNA database did not result in a match.

In early 2020, the Chisholm Police Department approached the BCA wanting to provide a sample of the DNA evidence to Parabon. The company analyzes public genealogy databases that have law enforcement programs to generate leads in cases. The BCA laboratory coordinated with the company to provide a DNA sample from the decades-old evidence. Based on their analysis and search, Parabon in July identified Mr. Carbo as a potential suspect in the case.

BCA agents and Chisholm investigators began surveillance of Mr. Carbo last week and surreptitiously obtained DNA evidence that was sent to the BCA laboratory for analysis. On Monday, the BCA laboratory reported a DNA match to the bodily fluids found on the victim and at the scene. This morning, investigators obtained a DNA sample directly from Mr. Carbo with his consent. The BCA laboratory tested the known DNA sample, providing confirmation this afternoon of a DNA match.

“We are gratified to be able to provide some answers to this family and this community after all of these years,” Chisholm Police Chief Vern Manner said. “We are grateful as well to the BCA and so many assisting law enforcement agencies that continued to work this case over more than three decades.”

“This case illustrates why no case is ever cold for us,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. “Every time we hit a dead end, investigators and scientists go back to the drawing board. Solving this case is proof of the value of tenacious work – even when it’s over a span of decades.”

Mr. Carbo will be charged in the days ahead by the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office. This remains an ongoing and active investigation.

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News conference from Wednesday 29 July 2020!

​

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Kathryn Hanek, who was working at the Subway sandwich store adjacent to DJ’s Expressway, was questioned by police.   The two stores are connected by an internal door.   Hanek told the police that shortly before closing the Subway store at about 10:00 pm, she saw a man in and around the Subway store who was behaving strangely.   After closing, Hanek drove home toward downtown Moose Lake and, coincidentally, followed the man, who was leaving the convenience store property at the same time.   She noted that the man was driving a black Ford F150 extended cab pickup truck with white markings on the side and a license plate that read in part, 557 – –Y. The pickup truck weaved a number of times and after entering Moose Lake, pulled into the parking lot of a local cafe.   Hanek stated that when she left work, Poirier’s vehicle was still at DJ’s Expressway.

On 18 June 1999 after seeing a sketch of Katie’s abductor, one of Blom’s coworkers contacted the police to report Blom as a possible suspect based on his belief that Blom had behaved suspiciously during the week of the abduction.

Upon investigating this report, the police determined that Blom drove a black Ford F150 extended cab pickup truck with license plate number 557 HDY. The police then attempted to locate Blom. The police also learned that Blom had property near Kerrick, less than 10 miles from DJ’s Expressway.   They secured this property on the evening of June 18 and conducted a 12-hour search of the property on June 19.   An examination of a fire pit on the property resulted in the discovery of a number of bone fragments, including what appeared to be part of a jaw bone and a human tooth.   The bone fragments were collected for evaluation by a forensic anthropologist.   This property was searched again on 29 June 1999.

Police located Blom after midnight on 20 June 1999 at a campground near Alexandria, Minnesota.   The police questioned him about Katie’s abduction and he denied any involvement.   He said he had been at his property near Moose Lake on 14 or 15 May 1999 and again on 12 June 1999. Blom said that on 26 May 1999 he left work early and went fishing on the Kettle River, a mile or two south of Sandstone, but claimed he was home in Richfield by between 7:00 and 8:00 pm.

On 20 June 1999, the police arrested Blom. At a police line-up the day following Blom’s arrest, Hanek positively identified Blom as the man she had seen on the convenience store property the night of 26 May 1999.

Trial:

Opening arguments

Bloms wife takes the stand

Blom testifies at trial

Files:

Petition for postconviction relief 2007

Office of Appellate Courts – 2004

After 25 days of testimony and about 10 hours of deliberations over two days, Blom was convicted Wednesday 16 August 2000 of first-degree murder during the commission of a kidnapping.  He is sentenced to life in prison on Thursday 17 August 2000.

Blom had been serving his sentence at a Pennsylvania facility. And is now in Minnesota as of 2017.

Katie’s story has been on Forensic files: The Music Case and Tooth or consequences, See No Evil, Extreme Forensics, On the Case with Paula Zahn.

Here’s Forensic Files – Tooth or Consequences

Views: 1746