Midwest
Wisconsin boy's disappearance leads searchers to scrapyard tied to 'Making a Murderer' case
Nearly seven weeks after Wisconsin toddler Elijah Vue went missing, searchers have turned their sights to the scrapyard where Steven Avery dumped a woman’s body in 2005, inspiring Netflix’s “Making a Murderer.”
The 3-year-old was last seen in late February. His mother, Katrina Baur, and her boyfriend, Jesse Vang, both face felony charges for party-to-a-crime child neglect in his disappearance.
Baur, 31, left her son to stay with Vang for several weeks because she wanted to teach the toddler to “be a man,” according to a criminal complaint.
Vang, who regularly subjected the boy to physical punishments, according to the complaint, reported the boy missing from his Two Rivers home on Feb. 20, telling police that Elijah was gone after he awoke from a three-hour nap.
BOYFRIEND OF ELIJAH VUE’S MOTHER ORDERED TO STAND TRIAL ON NEGLECT CHARGE
Elijah Vue, a 3-year-old Wisconsin boy, was last seen around 8 a.m. in Two Rivers on Feb. 20. (Two Rivers Police Department)
There is no direct connection to Vue’s disappearance and Avery’s scrapyard, where he left the remains of freelance photographer Teresa Halbach, but the property is less than nine miles from the Two Rivers home where the boy was last seen, WSAU reported.
“There’s always that dark side that makes you fear the worst,” searcher Nicole Rivera told the outlet. “I pray that he’s OK and alive, and hopefully he will be found alive.”
Elijah Vue’s mother Katrina Baur and her boyfriend Jesse Vang face criminal charges for child neglect. (Two Rivers Police Department)
The reward for information that leads to the boy’s recovery sits at $65,000 between the Two Rivers Police Department, FBI and Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers, the outlet reported.
Elijah is Hmong and White with dark blonde hair and brown eyes. He stands 3 feet tall and has a birthmark on his left knee. He was last seen wearing gray pants, a long-sleeved dark shirt, and red and green dinosaur slip-on shoes. Investigators found one of those shoes near Vang’s apartment, among other evidence, CrimeOnline reported.
MISSING WISCONSIN 3-YEAR-OLD’S MOTHER HIT WITH MORE CHARGES AS POLICE ASK FOR VIDEO OF CAR IN DISAPPEARANCE
Wisconsin authorities announced an Amber Alert for missing 3-year-old Elijah Vue seven weeks ago. A vehicle of interest in his disappearance has since been seized. (Two Rivers Police Department)
‘Making a Murderer’ connection
Avery and his nephew, Brendan Dassey, were found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and mutilation of a corpse in Halbach’s murder after her body was discovered at Avery’s scrapyard, according to Manitowoc County Court records.
Dassey was also found guilty of second-degree sexual assault, but a federal judge overturned his conviction on the grounds that his confession had been coerced, The Associated Press reported.
Before his 2005 conviction, Avery was wrongfully convicted of attempted murder and sexual assault, and released after an 18-year stint in prison.
Avery filed a $36 million lawsuit against Manitowoc County, its former sheriff and its former district attorney. He was arrested for Halbach’s murder while that civil suit was still pending. Avery and Dassey’s 2007 trials and their associated issues are the subject of the 2015 Netflix documentary series.
Steven Avery, the subject of Netflix’s 2015 documentary series “Making a Murderer,” is serving a life sentence in the murder of Teresa Halbach. (Wisconsin Department of Corrections)
Currently, Avery is serving a life sentence at Fox Lake Correctional Institution, according to Wisconsin inmate records.
However, Kathleen Zellner, Avery’s defense attorney, has said that new evidence shows Dassey acted alone.
“Two new witnesses have emerged in Mr. Avery’s case with new and compelling evidence about a murder mystery that has intrigued a worldwide audience,” Zellner wrote in a motion for post-conviction relief filed two years ago in Manitowoc County court in Wisconsin. “The rush to judgment and tunnel vision that led to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of Mr. Avery is exposed by these new witnesses who provide new and undisputed evidence that directly links Bobby Dassey … to the murder of Teresa Halbach and the framing of Mr. Avery.”
MOTHER OF MISSING WISCONSIN BOY, MAN HER SON WAS STAYING WITH CHARGED WITH CHILD NEGLECT
Steven Avery’s nephew, Brendan Dassey, left, was also convicted of murder in Teresa Halbach’s death. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
In 2005, investigators found Halbach’s DNA in a burn pit, blood samples matching Halbach and Avery in a vehicle in his salvage yard and a bullet with Halbach’s DNA in Avery’s garage, Fox News Digital previously reported. Avery has said that his blood was planted at the scene, collected after a cut on his finger dripped into his bathroom sink.
Two weeks ago, a special prosecutor responded to Avery’s attorney’s latest request to conduct touch DNA testing on evidence in his case.
Special prosecutor Norman Gahn wrote in a letter to Judge Anthony Lambrecht that jurisdiction over the case lies with the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and argued that circuit court judges did not have jurisdiction to make a ruling, WBAY reported.
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Midwest
Police seek suspect after dentist and wife found shot dead at home while 2 young children are unharmed
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Police are investigating after a dentist and his wife in Columbus, Ohio, were both found shot to death inside their home just a month before celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary.
Police responded to the house around 10 a.m. Tuesday for a wellness check, and found Spencer and Monique Tepe dead with apparent gunshot wounds. Two young children were found at the house unharmed.
The owner of Athens Dental Depot, Dr. Mark Valrose, where Spencer works, called 911 and asked dispatchers to send officers for a wellness check at the couple’s residence. Valrose said people at the business were becoming concerned after Spencer didn’t show up to work.
Fox News Digital obtained the 911 records through a public records request. Police are seeking the public’s help as they search for a suspect.
NEWLYWED COUPLE FOUND DEAD IN CAR FROM MURDER-SUICIDE DAYS BEFORE FIRST ANNIVERSARY, POLICE SAY
Ohio dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe, were found shot to death inside their home in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday. While their two children were discovered unharmed, authorities reportedly believe their deaths were not the result of a murder-suicide. (Athens Dental Depot)
According to WSYX, police don’t believe their deaths were a murder-suicide. Officials added there wasn’t a firearm recovered at the scene and there were no signs of forced entry.
Valrose called 911 on Tuesday at 9:03 a.m. to raise the alarm about Spencer and Monica. An officer with the Columbus Police Department arrived at the Tepe household at 9:22 a.m., but didn’t get an answer after knocking.
“Spencer works with me and he did not show up to work this morning and we cannot get ahold of him or his family,” Valrose said. “He is always on time and he would contact us if there is any issues whatsoever…we’re very, very concerned because this is very out of character and we can’t get in touch with his wife, which is probably the more concerning thing.”
MOM SHOOTS FAMILY DEAD AT HOME BEFORE KILLING HERSELF, SPARES TODDLER: AG
Ohio dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe, were found shot to death inside their home in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday. (Athens Dental Depot/Facebook)
In a separate 911 call from one of Spencer’s friends who went to their home, the caller said, “there’s a body.”
“We just came here and he appears dead. He’s laying next to his bed, off of his bed in his blood. I can’t get closer to see more than that,” the caller said. “I can tell he’s obviously not breathing or anything.”
In a statement on Facebook, Athens Dental Depot said Spencer will be “deeply missed.”
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the sudden passing of our dear colleague and friend, Dr. Spencer Tepe, as well as his wife Monique. He will be deeply missed by our team and the many patients he cared for over the years. Our thoughts and sincerest condolences are with their families and loved ones during this very difficult time,” the business said.
A Columbus police officer adjusts crime scene tape after officers responded to the home of Monique Tepe and Spencer Tepe, where the pair were found shot to death in Columbus, Ohio. (The Columbus Dispatch via USA Today)
The family released a statement Friday night saying they are “heartbroken beyond words,” and described the loss of the couple as “tragic and senseless.”
“They were extraordinary people whose lives were filled with love, joy, and deep connection to others,” the statement said, in part.
Spencer, a graduate of The Ohio State University, was known as a “devoted and proud father, a loving partner, and a friend to everyone he met,” the family statement said, adding that he was “intelligent, warm, and endlessly welcoming.”
He was a member of the American Dental Association, fluent in Spanish, involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization and a fan of the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Cincinnati Bengals.
INVESTIGATORS UNCOVER POSSIBLE SERIAL KILLER LINKED TO WOMEN’S MURDERS, MISSING TV ANCHOR
Authorities are investigating after Ohio dentist Dr. Spencer Tepe and his wife, Monique Tepe, were found shot to death inside their Columbus, Ohio, home. (Athens Dental Depot/Facebook)
Monique was described as a “loving, patient and joyful mother whose warmth defined her.”
“With a background in childhood education, she brought care and intention into everything she did. She was an excellent baker, a thoughtful planner, and someone who found joy in bringing people together. Her kindness made people feel instantly at home,” the statement said.
Their relationship was “beautiful, strong and deeply happy” and they built a life “rooted in love,” the family said, adding that Spencer and Monique enjoyed taking care of their two children and their pet Goldendoodle.
A Columbus police officer adjusts crime scene tape after officers responded to the home of Monique Tepe and Spencer Tepe, where the pair were found shot to death in Columbus, Ohio. (The Columbus Dispatch via USA Today)
“We are heartbroken beyond words. While no outcome can ever undo this loss, our family is committed to seeing this tragedy fully and fairly brought to justice, and to honoring Spencer and Monique by protecting the future of the children they loved so deeply,” the statement concluded.
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Rob Misleh, Spencer’s brother-in-law, told WSYX that the couple was going to celebrate their five-year anniversary next month after getting married in 2021.
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On Sunday, the Detroit Lions suited up for the final time during the 2025 NFL season. It was a much shorter season than Lions fans expected, while Ben Johnson and the upstart Chicago Bears had already secured the NFC North divisional crown and were looking to capture the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
In what looked like a microcosm of Detroit’s season, the Lions surged early, before struggling in the final half. However, on this occasion, the Lions were able to finish, forcing a Chicago punt before Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jake Bates iced it.
With nothing but pride to play for, here are the studs and duds from the Lions’ final contest of the ‘25 campaign.
STUD: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Amon-Ra St. Brown did not have much to play for, with the receiver suffering multiple injuries as the season wound down. However, he was a shining example of leading the Lions, with the star surpassing 100 yards, with his longest catch of the evening going for 30 yards.
The USC product was the go-to guy on third down, with the receiver besting former Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson multiple times in coverage.
St. Brown also called ballgame, with a huge catch and run after a Gardner-Johnson injury forced a Chicago timeout. The pass-catcher’s 11th reception of the game gave him 139 yards, with that final one setting Jake Bates up for a game-winning field goal.
DUD: IOL Christian Mahogany
Yet again, Mahogany suffered through growing pains as he worked his way back into the lineup for the Lions. The aggressive Chicago Bears front got the best of the second-year player, with the guard surrendering a sack early in the game after being completely blown off the line of scrimmage.
Mahogany was also responsible for a few missed blocks in the run game when Detroit stalled in the third quarter. Every time Goff dropped back, there seemed to be a Bears defender ready to drop him for a loss. Mahogany, along with all the other Lions linemen, appeared ready for the offseason at multiple times on Sunday.
STUD: WR Kalif Raymond
In what might be his last game in Honolulu Blue, Kalif Raymond shined. The returner and receiver was able to flip the field with his catches, along with setting Detroit up with good field position on its final drive.
Raymond came alive in the second half, when most of Detroit seemed content to settle after going up by two scores. Raymond pushed the ball up for Detroit, and was one of the shining examples of players competing for pride.
DUD: OT Chris Hubbard
Hubbard was the replacement for Penei Sewell, who was missing his first career game. Unfortunately, Sewell’s presence was sorely missed. Hubbard was the right tackle on a line that let Jared Goff run for his life, particularly in the first and third quarters.
Hubbard was responsible for part of a sack on Goff, where the quarterback got met by Montez Sweat and Grady Jarrett. Overall, the line surrendered two sacks to Chicago, along with quite a few pressures.
STUD: K Jake Bates
Bates kept Detroit in contention on Sunday, nailing four of his five field goals, including the walk-off winner as time expired. With his lone miss being a 53-yard field goal to end the first half, it is easy to overlook that when the Lions kicker accounted for all the points besides Jahmyr Gibbs’ final touchdown of the season.
Bates, despite the fans turning against him at points, showed resilience and consistency on a night when the Lions sorely needed it.
DUD: OG Tate Ratledge
Ratledge was another Lions lineman who struggled in the final contest of the year. Detroit finally had a push against the Bears’ front, but Ratledge was part of a unit that allowed multiple Goff pressures. Additionally, he added a penalty in the middle of the game to hamper Detroit’s field position, getting busted for a hold.
Ratledge offered promise in his first season, and there is reason to believe in him for next year. This year, however, it was “baptism by fire” in multiple games: Sunday included.
STUD: LB Jack Campbell
Campbell was another one of the Lions stars who played for pride, leading Detroit’s defense by example. To the surprise of none, he led the Lions in tackles, and set the tone by nearly intercepting Caleb Williams as Detroit shut out Chicago in the first half.
Campbell made plays and shifted momentum just enough in the first half for Chicago’s second-half rally to come up short.
STUD: DB Avonte Maddox
Maddox filled in admirably with Detroit down three of its top four safeties on Sunday, and added his own Kerby Joseph-esque centerfield interception, picking off Caleb Williams on a deep shot to the end zone. Maddox bodied out the receiver, then had enough awareness to run the ball out of the end zone, instead of trying to tiptoe up the sideline.
Without this crucial takeaway, it is likely that Detroit either goes to overtime or outright loses to the Bears and falls to 1-5 in the division. Maddox played for pride, and certainly gave the staff much to think about with the offseason looming.
More from Detroit Lions OnSI
Scene near 107th and Wabash, Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee police are investigating two separate fatal shootings that occurred within hours of each other on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 4.
107th and Wabash
What we know:
The first shooting was reported around 2 p.m. near 107th and Wabash, according to the Milwaukee Police Department. A 40-year-old victim suffered gunshot wounds and later died from those injuries.
The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain under investigation, and police are continuing to search for a suspect or suspects.
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64th and Mill
What we know:
A second fatal shooting was reported around 3:40 p.m., near 64th and Mill. Police said a 53-year-old victim was shot and died from their injuries. A suspect is in custody and charges will be referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
The shooting remains under active investigation.
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Authorities say the incidents are not related.
MPD tips
What you can do:
Anyone with information related to either shooting is asked to contact Milwaukee police at 414-935-7360. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or via the P3 Tips app.
The Source: Anyone with any information is asked to contact the MPD at 414-935-7360 or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or use the P3 Tips app.
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