In July 1976, a young couple camping in a Wisconsin state park were both shot dead. For forty years, investigators had a sketch, a plate number, a blood type — and not enough DNA to test. The investigation would span decades until the truth eventually surfaced.
David Schuldes and Ellen Matheys (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 146
David and Ellen’s campsite on July 9th, 1976 (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 75
McClintock Park Crime Scene Images by Marinette County Sheriff’s Office (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 36
McClintock Park Crime Scene Images by Marinette County Sheriff’s Office (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 37
McClintock Park Crime Scene Images by Marinette County Sheriff’s Office (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 40
McClintock Park Crime Scene Images by Marinette County Sheriff’s Office (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 43
McClintock Park Crime Scene Images by Marinette County Sheriff’s Office (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 50
McClintock Park Crime Scene Images by Marinette County Sheriff’s Office (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 51
McClintock Park Crime Scene Images by Marinette County Sheriff’s Office (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 52
Raymand Vannieuwenhoven (Photo Source) Marinette County Clerk of Court File Exhibit 131
Episode Source Material
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Vannieuwenhoven to face charges of girl attacks. Published November 4, 1957. Accessed April 9, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Jail term, fine imposed for attack on girl. Published November 7, 1957. Accessed April 9, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Not mentally ill, Attack case ruling. Published November 6, 1957. Accessed April 9, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Division of Law Enforcement Services Crime Laboratory Bureau. Evidence collected from the scene. July 10-11, 1976. Exhibit 106 at trial.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Laboratory Bureau. Autopsy July 11, 1976.
- The Journal Times: Green Bay pair shot; bodies found in park. By AP. Published July 11, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Bodies of two from Green Bay found in woods. By AP. Published July 11, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Second Body Found in Camp. Published July 11, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice – LT Donald Hawley of Marinette Sheriff’s Department interview of David Swanson. July 12, 1976. Exhibit 158 at trial.
- The Sheboygan Press: Probe shooting death of couple. By AP. Published July 12, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: No Clues in Park Deaths. By Ellen Zettel. Published July 12, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via newspapers.com.
- West Bend News: Couple’s shooting probed. By AP. Published July 12, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Portage Daily Register: Green Bay Couple Slain. Published July 12, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Bloody Boot Not Linked to Murders. Published July 14, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Personal Interview of Kim James Huempfner. July 15, 1976. Exhibit 154 at trial.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Investigators are “Stumped”. Published July 15, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Hypnosis – Kim Huempfner. July 16, 1976. Exhibit 155 at trial.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Laboratory Bureau. Confidential Report of Laboratory Findings. August 2, 1976.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice. Division of Criminal Investigation. Initial Investigation Report at Crime Scene. August 9, 1976. Exhibit 137.
- State of Wisconsin Correspondence Memorandum. Partial record of Marinette County initial response to double homicide scene. Exhibit 107 at trial.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Sketch of murder suspect released. Published August 11, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Suspect Sought. Published August 12, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- State of Wisconsin Forensics – Toxicology Results. August 16, 1976. Exhibit 159 at trial.
- State of Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement Services Crime Laboratory Bureau. Confidential Report of Laboratory findings. September 2, 1976. Exhibit 115 at trial.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: FBI Sought Clues Here in Wiretap, Bank Cases (article is a 1976 recap). Published December 31, 1976. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Rape, murder suspects show some similarities. Published March 23, 1977. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Daily Citizen: Rapist also a killer? Published March 23, 1977. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: McClintock murders unsolved. By Dick Karbon. Published October 30, 1977. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: County reopens 1976 Marinette murder case. Published June 7, 1979. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Five Marinette-Co. Murders Unsolved. By Bonnie Wolf. Published October 14, 1979. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Photo released in murder probe. Published February 27, 1980. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory Bureau. Authorization for Disposition of Evidence. June 16, 1980. Exhibit 152 at trial.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory. Resubmission of evidence. July 10, 1996. Exhibit 116 at trial.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory. DNA test results. May 8, 2000. Exhibit 117 at trial.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory. Supplemental Report. DNA. April 23, 2015. Exhibit 119 at trial.
- Fox 11 News: Update on unsolved 1976 murders to be released on Monday. By Fox News 11. Published July 5, 2018. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Fox11online.com.
- Law and Crime: Decades after engaged couple was murdered while camping, DNA tech finally gives suspect a face. By Matt Naham. Published July 12, 2018. Accessed April 8, 2026, via lawandcrime.com.
- WSAW: Investigators following up on tips after DNA photos released in double murder case. By WBAY. Published July 17, 2018. Accessed April 8, 2026, via wsaw.com.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory. Supplemental report DNA from residence of Cornelius Vannieuwenhoven. January 24, 2019. Exhibit 123 at trial.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory. Supplemental Report. DNA analysis of Edward Vannieuwenoven. February 19, 2019. Exhibit 124 at trial.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory. Supplemental Report. DNA testing of Raymond Vannieuwenhoven. March 14, 2019. Exhibit 120 at trial.
- State of Wisconsin Circuit Court Marinette County Criminal Complaint. Filed March 21, 2019.
- Fox 11 News: Arrest made in 43-year-old Marinette County murder case. By Amanda Becker. Published March 15, 2019. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- Fox 11 News: Follow the DNA: charges filed against suspect in 1976 double homicide. By Fox 11 News. Published March 21, 2019. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Law Enforcement Services State Crime Laboratory. Supplemental Report items of evidence in DNA Analysis. April 2, 2019. Exhibit 121 at trial.
- Inside Edition: Man, 82 known as “Helpful Handyman” charged with murders of couple killed in 1976. By Inside Edition Staff. Published June 4, 2019. Accessed April 9, 2026, via insideedition.com.
- NY Post: Arrest in decades-old murder case stuns Wisconsin town. By AP. Published June 4, 2019. Accessed April 9, 2026, via nypost.com.
- Stevens Point Journal: Police: murder of young couple in 1976 solved by tenacity, genealogy. By Kent Tempus. Published June 18, 2019. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Murder mystery solved. By Kent Tempus. Published June 18, 2019. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Newspapers.com.
- ABC News: In 1976, a young couple was killed while camping. In 2019, police tricked the suspect into handing over his DNA. By Emily Shaprio. Published June 20, 2019. Accessed April 8, 2026, via abcnews.com.
- State of Wisconsin Circuit Court Marinette County, Preliminary Hearing minutes. June 26, 2019.
- March 21, 2021. Criminal Court Record. Arraignment. Marinette County, Wisconsin. Minutes for arraignment hearing. July 1, 2019.
- WMTV15: Competency exam ordered in 1976 murder case in Wisconsin. By Associated Press, Nick Viviani. Published January 9, 2020. Accessed April 8, 2026, via wmtv15news.com.
- Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Forensic Sciences State Crime Laboratory – Madison. Supplemental Report. DNA Match from shorts. January 10, 2020. Exhibit 122 at trial.
- Fox 11 News: Judge rules man charged in Marinette Co. double murder not competent to stand trial. By Fox 11. Published March 26, 2020. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- Fox 11 News: Another competency exam ordered for suspect in Marinette County double murder. By Brian Kerhin. Published September 21, 2020. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Fox11online.com.
- Fox 11 News: Suspect in 1976 murders found competent to stand trial. By Brian Kerhin. Published November 5, 2020. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Fox11online.com.
- University School of Medicine and Public Health. Autopsy review per attorney request. April 1, 2021. Exhibit 111 at trial.
- Fox 11 News: Q & A: Trial in 1976 cold case murders set to begin Monday. By Brian Kerhin. Published July 19, 2021. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- Marinette County, Wisconsin Evidence presented at trial. Scanned July 19, 2021. Obtained via paid public records request.
- Fox 11 News: DNA evidence central to arguments as 1976 murder trial opens. By Brian Kerhin. Published July 19, 2021. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- Fox 11 News: Amid trial, court denies 1976 murder suspect’s appeal. By Brian Kerhin. Published July 20, 2021. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- NBC 26: Witnesses testify in second day of 1976 double murder trial. By NBC26. Published July 20, 2021. Accessed April 8, 2026, via nbc26.com.
- State Of Wisconsin, Marinette County Verdict on Counts one and two. Filed July 27, 2021.
- Fox 11 News: Vannieuwenhovn found guilty in 1976 killing of couple. By Brian Kerhin. Published July 27, 2021. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- Marinette County, WI Criminal Court. Sentencing Hearing. August 26, 2021.
- State of Wisconsin, Circuit Court Branch 2 Marinette County. Judgment of Conviction. August 26, 2021.
- USA Today: Cold case closed: 84-year-old man gets two life sentences for 1976 double homicide in Wisconsin. By Kent Tempus. Published August 27, 2021. Accessed April 8, 2026, via USAtoday.com.
- Fox 11 News: Man serving life sentences for 1976 Marinette County campground murders dies. By Brian Kerhin. Published June 22, 2022. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Fox11online.com.
- Fox 11 News: State asks for another extension in case against dead 1976 double murderer. By Brian Kerhin. Published November 9, 2022. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- Fox 11 News: State says DNA was obtained legally in 1976 Marinette Co. campground murders case. By Brain Kerhin. Published November 22, 2022. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- State of Wisconsin Court of Appeals district III. December 19, 2022. Reply Of Defendant –Appellant.
- Fox 11 News: Appeals continue for dead man convicted of 1976 Marinette County double murder. By Brian Kerhin. Published December 19, 2022. Accessed April 8, 2026, via Fox11news.com.
- Fox11 News: 1976 double murder conviction upheld against appeal on questionable DNA tactics. By Brian Kerhin. Published April 30, 2024. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- WTAQ: Attorney for dead man convicted on 1976 murders asks state supreme court to review ruling. Published May 29, 2024. Accessed April 8, 2026, via WTAQ.com.
- Fox 11 News: ACLU supports Supreme Court hearing dead murder convict’s appeal. By Brian Kerhin. Published June 14, 2024. Accessed April 8, 2026, via fox11online.com.
- Find A Grave: Ellen A. Matheys
- Find A Grave: David John Schuldes
- Green Bay Press-Gazette: Matheys Memorial Fund
- Wisconsin Department of Corrections Raymond Vannieuwenhoven Inmate Profile
- Find A Grave: Raymond Lawrence “Larry” Vannieuwenhoven.