Case 2022CF001102 Document 5 Filed 12-06-2022 Page 1 of 4

FILED
12-06-2022
Clerk of Circuit Court
Outagamie County
STATE OF WISCONSIN CIRCUIT COURT OUTAGAMIE COUNTY
2022CF001102
DA Case No.: 2022OU004432
STATE OF WISCONSIN Assigned DA/ADA: Melinda Tempelis
Plaintiff, Agency Case No.: O22055730
Court Case No.: 2022CF001102
vs.
ATN:
GENE C. MEYER
44830 Groe Road E
Eatonville, WA 98328 AMENDED CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
DOB: 02/08/1956
Sex/Race: M/W
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Blonde
Height: 6 ft 2 in
Weight: lbs
Alias:
Defendant. For Official Use

The undersigned being first duly sworn, states that:

Count 1: FIRST DEGREE INTENTIONAL HOMICIDE

The above-named defendant Between 11/05/1988 and 11/07/1988, Outagamie County,
Wisconsin, causes the death of another human being with intent to kill that person or another,
contrary to sec. 940.01(1), 939.50(3)(a) Wis. Stats., a Class A Felony, and upon conviction
shall be sentenced to imprisonment for life.

Count 2: FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT

The above-named defendant Between 11/05/1988 and 11/07/1988, Outagamie County,
Wisconsin, did have sexual contact with BMR, without that person's consent by use of an
article used or fashioned to lead the victim reasonably to believe it was a dangerous weapon,
contrary to sec. 940.225(1)(b), 939.50(3)(b) Wis. Stats., a Class B Felony, and upon conviction
may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment not to exceed twenty (20) years.

PROBABLE CAUSE:

AND PRAYS SAID DEFENDANT BE DEALT WITH ACCORDING TO LAW; AND THAT THE
BASIS FOR THE COMPLAINANT'S CHARGE OF SUCH OFFENSE IS AS FOLLOWS:

Complaint is a sworn law enforcement officer and bases this Complaint upon the investigation
of the officers named below, who are presumed truthful and reliable as sworn law enforcement
officials.

On November 7th, 1988 at approximately 10:54 AM the Appleton Police Department was
dispatched to 1338 West Spencer Street, Outagamie County, State of Wisconsin regarding a
missing person. Upon arrival, Officer Woodard of the Appleton Police Department met with the
reporting person, CR advised Officer Woodard that his wife, BMR, F/W, 06-17-1928 was
missing after she failed to report to work on the morning of Sunday, November 6th, 1988. CR
also advised that BR was working at Country Aire Banquet Room located at 2311 West
Spencer Street and indicated that she would often walk to work.

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STATE OF WISCONSIN - VS - Gene C. Meyer

At approximately 11:15 AM, Officer Woodard located BMR deceased underneath the bridge of
West Spencer Street where it crossed railroad tracks. It appeared that BMR’s body was
located next to the bridge footing support adjacent to the railroad tracks. The area where her
body was found was covered in loose gravel. She was found face down. BMR’s body was
partially clothed. The upper part of her body was clothed with a winter coat. From the waist
down she was nude, including her feet. Her shoes, pants, and underpants were located next
to her body. She was laying parallel to approximately 8 foot high concrete wall with part of her
body touching the wall. Because she was behind this concrete wall, her body would not have
been visible to any train operating on the railroad tracks.

Upon further examination by responding officers and investigators, BMR had a black purse
and strap around her neck. She also had trauma to her head and face, and had minor trauma
to both of her knees.

A subsequent autopsy of BMR occurred on November 8th, 1988. Forensic Pathologist Dr.
Robert W. Huntington III found evidence of blunt trauma to the head, strangulation by ligature,
and multiple skin abrasions. Dr. Huntington indicated that the death was a homicide. Dr.
Huntington also opined that the homicide occurred in the location where the victim’s body was
found.

Dr. Huntington took vaginal swabs and smear (Item B) and rectal swabs and smear (Item C)
from the victim.

In 1988, the Wisconsin Crime Lab did not have the ability to conduct DNA testing on evidence
but instead relied on serological typing examinations and microscopic comparison.

On September 10, 2001 DNA Analyst John Ertl of the Wisconsin Crime Lab conducted DNA
analysis of the vaginal swab and rectal swab (Items B and C). Human DNA was recovered
from the sperm cell fractions of the vaginal swabs and the rectal swabs.

It was determined that the DNA present in the sperm cell fractions of the vaginal swabs and
the rectal swabs indicated a mixture of the same two individuals one of whom was BMR. A
DNA profile of the male contributor of the sperm cell was identified and was subsequently
entered into CODIS.

On February 26, 2019 Sergeant Zolkowski and Investigator Fitzpatrick began to conduct a
familial DNA search regarding the unknown offender in case. Familial DNA Searching is a
deliberate search of a DNA database using specialized software (separate from CODIS) to
detect and statistically rank a list of potential candidates in the DNA database who may be
close biological relatives (parent, child, sibling) to the unknown individual contributing the
evidence DNA profile, combined with lineage testing to help confirm or refute biological
relatedness.

Through this continued investigation Investigator Fitzpatrick determined that the DNA profile of
the unknown suspect in this case was associated with the lineage of the defendant herein
Gene Meyer. Based on Investigator Fitzpatrick’s inquiries, the only possible suspects in
the DNA lineage of Meyer family were Gene Meyer and his brother CM. CM was
interviewed. He told Investigator Fitzpatrick that he believed his brother Gene to be
dead. CM gave a DNA sample to Investigator Fitzpatrick. This sample was sent to the

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STATE OF WISCONSIN - VS - Gene C. Meyer

Crime Lab and CM was excluded as a suspect in the case. Based on his review of the
family lineage and based on the elimination of CM, Investigator Fitzpatrick concluded
that the only possible contributor of the DNA found on the vaginal swabs was the
defendant Gene Meyer.

Investigator Fitzpatrick spoke to BAS, a niece of Gene Meyer. She stated sometime
after 1986, her mother told her that Gene had phoned and said “Goodbye” and “Thank
you for everything.” She stated that she felt that something was bothering her mother
after that phone call and that there was something that her mother was not tell her
regarding the phone from Gene. Her mother told her "I have a secret...I have a
secret...and it's going to go in my grave."

Sgt. Fitzpatrick conducted an in-house, Wisconsin DOT, Wisconsin DOC, and full criminal
history for Gene Meyer and identified him by Gene Clarence Meyer, M/W, 02-08-1956. Sgt.
Fitzpatrick observed that Gene had four in-house contacts in the City of Appleton from 1986 to
1987. It appears that in 1986 Gene was identified during a contact listed in Appleton Police
records as a "field interrogation". It also appears that Gene was listed as a witness for a
Damage to Property complaint occurring January 29, 1987 at 509 1/2 N. Appleton Street in the
City of Appleton. Sgt. Fitzpatrick also observed that Gene was listed as the complainant in two
separate incidents reported as "lost food stamps" with the City of Appleton, where his address
was reported as 509 1/2 N Appleton Street in the City of Appleton. Based on narrative reports,
in the years of 1986 and 1987 509 1/2 was known as a "rooming house" or "boarding house".
It also appeared based on the narratives that Gene Meyer listed this address with the State of
Wisconsin to receive food stamps that were mailed to 509 1/2 N Appleton Street in the City of
Appleton. This address is approximately one mile from the murder scene via the railroad
tracks.

Sgt. Fitzpatrick also observed that Gene Meyer to have a criminal history through the State of
Washington, and conducted a NLETS search for driver's licensing through Washington State.
The defendant has a valid driver's license through the State of Washington with a listed
address of 44830 Groe Road East, Eatonville, Washington.

Sgt. Fitzpatrick contacted agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Office in
Olympia, Washington and made a request for surveillance on Gene Meyer in order to obtain a
surreptitious DNA sample from him.

On November 21st, 2022 Sgt. Fitzpatrick was contacted by FBI agents. They were able to
acquire DNA swabs from the door handle of the defendant’s Dodge Ram truck. These swabs
were sent to the Wisconsin Crime lab for DNA analysis.

On November 29, 2022 Sgt. Fitzpatrick was contacted by DNA Analyst Moos regarding the
DNA samples she had received from the surveillance team in Washington. The crime lab was
able to obtain a DNA profile from the door handle of the defendant’s truck. This DNA profile
was compared to the unknown suspect profile which was developed from the sperm fraction of
the vaginal swabs (Item B) taken during the autopsy of the murdered victim. The DNA profile
from the swabbing of the defendant’s truck matched the DNA profile of the sperm found on the
vaginal swabs which were obtained during the autopsy of the murdered victim. The likelihood
ratio statistic calculated for this comparison is greater than 1 quadrillion.

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STATE OF WISCONSIN - VS - Gene C. Meyer

Given the defendant’s current residence in Washington, and he fact that he fled the State of
Wisconsin after committing this crime, the state is asking this complaint be issued with a
warrant for the defendant’s arrest.

Subscribed and sworn to before me on 12/06/22 Electronically Signed By:

Electronically Signed By: Michael Velie
Nicholas P. Grode Complainant
Assistant District Attorney
State Bar #: 1088007

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