True Crime Cases in Wisconsin
True crime cases in Wisconsin span decades of criminal history, from unsolved disappearances in rural communities to high-profile investigations in the state's largest cities. Wisconsin law enforcement agencies, from local police departments to the state bureau of investigation, have tackled cases ranging from cold-case homicides and serial offenders to fraud schemes and domestic violence tragedies. CaseSleuth tracks each Wisconsin case with comprehensive timelines, profiles of victims and persons of interest, evidence summaries, and links to media coverage and court documents. Browse the cases below to explore the full scope of criminal investigations in Wisconsin.
2 cases found
Steven Avery / Teresa Halbach
Appeals OngoingManitowoc, WI · 2005
Steven Allan Avery is an American from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin who was convicted of murder in 2007. He had previously been wrongfully convicted in 1985 of sexual assault and attempted murder. After serving 18 years of a 32-year sentence, Avery was exonerated by DNA testing and released in 2003, only to be charged with murder in a different case two years later.
Jeffrey Dahmer
ConvictedMilwaukee, WI · 1978
Jeffrey Dahmer, known as the "Milwaukee Cannibal," murdered and dismembered 17 young men and boys between 1978 and 1991 in Wisconsin and Ohio. His crimes included necrophilia and cannibalism, and he was convicted of 15 murders in 1992 before being killed in prison in 1994.