VIROQUA, Wis. – Law enforcement officials from Vernon, Monroe County and La Crosse counties announced today that 60-year-old Michael Raymond Popp, of Tomah, Wis. has been charged with first degree homicide for the murder of Terry Dolowy who’s body was found burned and decapitated in Vernon County in 1985.
You can watch the full press conference on our Facebook page here.
24-year-old Terry Dolowy went missing from her Barre Mills home in La Crosse on Feb. 14, 1985. Dolowy was originally from River Forest, Illinois and was a senior at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She lived with her fiance at the time of her death. According to the Wisconsin Dept. of Justice, she was last seen at her home when she returned around 12:30 – 1 a.m. from her work at Piggy’s Restaurant in downtown La Crosse. Investigators reported at the time that Dolowy’s white poodle was also missing, and the door to her home was ajar. Her personal items were found inside the trailer. Her body was found five days later in a culvert on Mohawk Valley Road in Vernon County.
Police have interviewed over 500 people over the years but never identified a suspect or made an arrest until now.
At today’s press conference Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson, Vernon County District Attorney Angela Palmer Fisher, Monroe County District Attorney Kevin Croninger and La Crosse County Sheriff John Siegel made the announcement that Popp had been charged with homicide in the case after a positive DNA match. The exact nature of the match was not outlined but DA Croninger said that information will be provided in a criminal complaint that would be forthcoming. Croninger did say that DNA evidence found during the autopsy of Dolowy in 1985 was tested and connected to Popp.
It is unclear if Popp knew Dolowy or had been interviewed as part of the original investigation. Croninger said those facts would also be addressed in the criminal complaint. When asked directly about motivation for the murder Croninger also hesitated and said the complaint could shed light on what they believe the was Popp’s motivation.
Torgerson said Popp was recently arrested in Monroe County in a stalking case and he was turned over to Vernon County authorities once they had the DNA match in the Dolowy case. Torgerson said that Popp was arrested on Monday and taken to the Vernon County Jail.
Vernon County DA Palmer-Fisher said when she was appointed DA she was made aware of the ongoing investigation. Palmer-Fisher noted that District Attorney Croninger had been appointed special prosecutor in the case prior to her appointment, and he would continue to handle the case.
Croninger cited the dedication and hard work of multiple investigators and agencies over the decades that continued to pursue this case.
At a bond hearing Croninger requested a $2 million cash bail citing the violent nature of the crime Popp was accused of, his potential light risk due to his travel as a truck driver and the recent charges he faces in Monroe County that are also concerning to law enforcement. Vernon County Circuit Court Judge Gaskell set bond at $1 million cash, stating that amount should be sufficient to ensure Popp’s return to court if he is able to post that amount.
Croninger also asked for other restrictions on Popp if he is able to post bond including GPS restriction, no consumption of drugs of alcohol, no contact with the Dolowy family and to surrender his passport. Gaskell granted those restrictions and also said he would be recusing himself from the case. Gaskelll is the former county prosecutor and likely has intimate knowledge of the case that has been ongoing between Vernon and La Crosse County since 1985.
When asked by Gaskell if he had any comment about the bail he first tried to engage Croninger in a back and forth about his Monroe County case and then the about the homicide charge. A bit later he said he “flabbergasted” as to why he was even in court or in custody.
In Vernon County Popp faces first degree murder which carries a possible life sentence if convicted. In Monroe County Popp faces charges of stalking, threats to communicate derogatory information, resisting or obstructing and officer, possession of cocaine and THC. Two felonies and three misdemeanors.
Sheriff Torgerson was adamant that this case was never considered a “cold case.”
“I want to acknowledge all of those who worked so diligently in relation to this investigation,” said Torgerson. “But before we go into that list, I want to touch on the sheriff’s I’ve worked for. Sheriff Geoffrey Banta. Sheriff Gene Cary. Sheriff John Spears. When I started at the Sheriff’s Office in 1992, as a 19-year-old kid, that knew nothing about law enforcement, those folks taught me what it really is to serve this great community. It was those Sheriffs that carried the torch of this investigation, and as I talked about, I don’t feel ever went cold.”
Torgerson also acknowledged the numerous agencies they worked with over the years on with this case.
“Numerous law enforcement agencies,” said Torgerson. “And I say numerous, it would be impossible to thank all of them, including the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory. A special thanks to the City of Tomah Police Department, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. And the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there are many, many others that are too numerous to list. But I really want to thank the Lacrosse County Sheriff’s Office who has worked with the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office in tandem for all these years, 39 years and have never, ever given up. If we needed something for them, we would call. They needed something from us. They called us. We got it done and I am so grateful for the men and women of law enforcement who carried this torch.”
Torgerson also thanked the family of Terry Dolowy who he said was patient and trusted law enforcement to keep working the case for almost 40 years.
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