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Trial in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin 1985 cold case begins
Mary Jo Bailey, now 81, is charged with murdering Yvonne Menke out of jealousy from an alleged love triangle.
BALSAM LAKE, Wis. — In 1985, Yvonne Menke gave her boyfriend Jack Owen an ultimatum: Cut off ties with Mary Jo Bailey, his on-again/off-again alternate love interest — whom he also helped train horses — or Menke would leave him.
That’s the scenario Polk County, Wisconsin’s District Attorney Jeff Kemp laid out for the jury prior to Menke being murdered.
“Be with her exclusively or not at all, which meant no more Mary Jo, romantically or training horses together,” Kemp said in his opening statement Monday.
The prosecution believes that put the now-81-year-old Bailey over the edge, so she waited in the stairwell of Yvonne’s apartment on a cold December morning and shot her three times when Yvonne came down.
Police began to suspect Bailey shortly after the December 1985 murder but did not charge her until November 2023, when investigators dusted off the cold case.
In the opening statement, Bailey’s defense attorney emphasized there never really was a “break” in the case.
“Often, cold cases get charged after such as DNA is finally matched to somebody. That isn’t what happened in this case. That’s not why we’re here today,” said attorney Donna Burger. “There is no DNA evidence. There is no direct evidence in this case.”
Prosecutors are expected to lay out evidence of jealousy and other red flags displayed by Bailey.
Menke’s daughter Julie, who was 20 at the time and lived with her mother, testified about a phone call she received the day before the murder. A woman’s voice asked if her mother was home and what time she left for work.
Julie Connors began to weep as she recounted those details.
“Because I feel the caller was the person who murdered my mom and I told her everything she wanted to know to make it happen,” Connors testified.
The most compelling piece of evidence the prosecution previewed in their opening statement involved boot prints in the fresh snow along the path the killer took to get away. Kemp said the prints match the tread and wear pattern of a pair of rare Arctic Cat snowmobile boots in a rare size, seized from Bailey after the crime.
But in their opening statement, Bailey’s defense attorneys emphasized what the prosecution lacks for evidence.
“Unfortunately, there is no direct evidence as to who killed Yvonne Menke. This case instead is built on rumor and innuendo,” Burger said.
The trial is expected to last two weeks.
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Sergeant Tony Bryand spent 10 months in the Middle East, and never got to see his stepdaughter perform – until Saturday
CHANHASSEN, Minn. — Few things match the mystery of the theater, or the warmth that comes from the holidays. At the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, that warmth was easy to spot Saturday night.
Hundreds gathered to watch the musical White Christmas, but for one person, the show wasn’t the most important part of their evening.
It was who would be there.
“Me and her have had a really good bond since I’ve came into her life,” Sergeant Tony Bryand said.
Sgt. Bryand has been away on deployment in Kuwait for the last 10 months, returning home just in time for the holidays. On stage, his stepdaughter, nine-year-old Jenalia, plays Susan Waverly.
“Me being gone is a big change, really hard on her,” Sgt. Bryand said, choking up. “Hard on me.”
During the preshow announcement, emcee Nancy Nelson walked out, set to announce the start of the show.
Instead, she was interrupted by Jenalia.
“On behalf of the theater, Nancy, we would all like to thank you for all you do!” Jenalia said, surprising Nancy.
“You should have them, and I know someone who wants to give them to you, darling,” Nelson said in response. “Turn around!”
In front of the crowd, Jenalia turned and saw Sgt. Bryand, running into his arms, reuniting the two after months apart.
“He has not seen her on this stage, in this show, but he will tonight!” Nelson said while the two embraced.
Sgt. Bryand sat and watched his stepdaughter perform during the show, the nerves he had conquered, and now reunited for the holidays.
“Gonna give her a memory, gonna give us a memory that we’ll never forget,” he said.
The road conditions were snowy and icy when the crash occurred.
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. — One man was killed after his truck collided with another vehicle in Inver Grove Heights on Saturday afternoon, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
The man was driving up the entrance ramp from Concord Boulevard to northbound Highway 52 when his truck lost control, said the state patrol.
His truck crossed over the northbound lanes of Highway 52 before colliding with another vehicle, said the state patrol.
The road conditions were snowy and icy when the crash occurred.
The state patrol identified the man who died as 74-year-old Willard Pohl of Inver Grove Heights.
The driver of the other vehicle and his five passengers, which included four children, were not injured in the crash.
The Red Bulls were deployed in support of Operation Spartan Shield, where they played a role in strengthening defense relationships with partner nations.
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — The Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division, known as the “Red Bulls,” has returned home after a 10-month deployment to the Middle East.
On Saturday, the second wave of over 550 Citizen-Soldiers reunited with their families at the division’s headquarters in Arden Hills.
This homecoming follows the first wave of soldiers who returned earlier this week, marking the end of a successful mission that began in February 2024.
The Red Bulls were deployed in support of Operation Spartan Shield, where they played a role in strengthening defense relationships with partner nations.
During their deployment, the Red Bulls conducted numerous military-to-military exercises with partner nation forces in the region. They also modernized the division headquarters with top of the line communications equipment. Lieutenant Colonel Jay Hackett, the Infantry Battalion Commander, expressed pride in the unit’s focus and dedication throughout the mission.
“They really took care of the mission, and more importantly, they took care of each other,” Hackett said.
The scene at the Arden Hills headquarters was filled with emotion as families eagerly awaited their loved ones’ return. One soldier, medic Kacie Lou, was greeted with warm embraces from her parents and grandparents. When asked about her first desire upon returning home, she humorously replied, “I want to go eat some tacos.”
Another returning soldier described the surreal feeling of being back, stating, “It’s unexplainable. I feel like I’m in a dream, and I don’t think it’ll really set in until tomorrow morning when I wake up in my own bed.”
The Red Bulls’ return marks another chapter in the division’s rich history of service. With roots dating back to 1856, the Minnesota National Guard has consistently answered the nation’s call, with more than 13,000 Soldiers and Airmen serving across 58 communities in the state.
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