Current:Home > ContactDNA breakthrough solves 1963 cold case murder at Wisconsin gas station -InvestTomorrow
DNA breakthrough solves 1963 cold case murder at Wisconsin gas station
View
Date:2025-04-16 16:23:07
More than a half-century after a man was stabbed to death at a gas station in Wisconsin, authorities believe they've finally solved his murder. Several rounds of advanced forensic testing on DNA samples taken from the scene of the crime eventually led detectives to identify a suspect in the killing, the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office said.
Wayne Pratt was found dead on June 12, 1963, inside of an Enco gas station formerly in operation along U.S. Highway 41 in Winnebago, which is about 60 miles southwest of Green Bay. According to the sheriff, Pratt's wife, Marie Pratt, told authorities after her husband's murder that she had discovered his body in the back room of the station, covered with a blanket. He had suffered 53 stab wounds.
Pratt was 24 years old at the time of his death, and worked as a gas station operator at the Enco, CBS affiliate WFRV reported in 2020, when the Winnebago sheriff announced an earlier breakthrough in the case that had remained cold for decades. Marie Pratt said that her husband had been at home watching TV on the night of the stabbing, and went outside when a car pulled up to the gas station at around 8:40 p.m. local time. The Pratts lived about 50 feet from the Enco, the sheriff said. Marie Pratt had recalled him walking toward the station to help the customer, thinking the person had pulled up to the station for gas.
She told authorities shortly after the murder that she went to the gas station herself to check on her husband, once she realized that the lights at the Enco had not been turned on.
Evidence suggested that Pratt was not the only person injured the night of the murder. The sheriff said there was evidence of the attacker's blood at the scene, too, but no further details were uncovered about the incident and how it may have unfolded. Platt's murder became a cold case once the first years of investigative efforts turned up dry, and no arrests were made. There was limited information about the case after 1968, according to the sheriff.
It was officially reopened in 2011, when investigators probed the evidence for potential DNA that could by then undergo meaningful forensic analyses and potentially help identify Platt's killer. In 2015, the testing company Sorenson Forensics did find DNA "mixtures" on the blanket where Platt's body was found, but the mixed composition meant authorities could not enter the information into their databases while searching for a potential suspect.
Three years later, a warrant was issued for the arrest of the suspect, William Doxtator of Bowler, Wisconsin, who was 82 at the time. Authorities in Winnebago County said that Doxtator was initially identified as a suspect in Platt's case in the days following his death in 1963, and they went on to receive tips about him in connection with Platt's death in 1968 and 2022. Then, this year, the company Cybergenetics ultimately pieced together a DNA profile from the mixture that authorities used to refer a charge for first-degree intentional homicide to the Winnebago District Attorney. Doxtator died in 2022, according to the sheriff.
Winnebago County District Attorney Eric Sparr backed the sheriff's referral.
"The Winnebago County District Attorney's Office has reviewed the reports generated by this investigation. I agree there would be sufficient evidence to support a factual basis and probable cause to pursue a homicide charge if William Doxtator were alive today," Sparr said in a statement about the murder suspect. "The District Attorney's Office commends the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office for its ongoing investment in this case over a long period of time, showing dedication to securing some sense of finality and resolution for the families impacted."
- In:
- Cold Case
- Wisconsin
- Murder
Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.
Twitter InstagramveryGood! (87937)
Related
- New Zealand official reverses visa refusal for US conservative influencer Candace Owens
- College students, inmates and a nun: A unique book club meets at one of the nation’s largest jails
- New Beyoncé documentary: Watch trailer for 'Call Me Country' by CNN on Max
- Kim Kardashian Reveals Truth About Eyebrow-Raising Internet Rumors
- From bitter rivals to Olympic teammates, how Lebron and Steph Curry became friends
- Nikola Jokic’s brother reportedly involved in an altercation after the Nuggets beat the Lakers
- NFL mock drafts put many QBs in first round of 2024 draft. Guess how often that's worked?
- Crew members injured in crash on Georgia set of Eddie Murphy Amazon MGM movie ‘The Pickup’
- Kansas City Chiefs CEO's Daughter Ava Hunt Hospitalized After Falling Down a Mountain
- Judge strikes down North Carolina law on prosecuting ex-felons who voted before 2024
Ranking
- Meet 11-year-old skateboarder Zheng Haohao, the youngest Olympian competing in Paris
- Climate change a health risk for 70% of world's workers, UN warns
- Ritz giving away 24-karat gold bar worth $100,000 in honor of its latest 'Buttery-er' cracker
- When her mother went missing, an Illinois woman ventured into the dark corners of America's romance scam epidemic
- Paris Olympics live updates: Quincy Hall wins 400m thriller; USA women's hoops in action
- Amber Alert issued for baby who may be with former police officer suspected in 2 murders
- Biden implied his uncle lost in WWII was eaten by cannibals. Papua New Guinea's leader pushes back.
- You Might've Missed Henry Cavill's Pregnant Girlfriend Natalie Viscuso's My Super Sweet 16 Cameo
Recommendation
Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
Transgender Louisianans lost their ally in the governor’s seat. Now they’re girding for a fight
Few have heard about Biden's climate policies, even those who care most about issue — CBS News poll
South Carolina Senate wants accelerated income tax cut while House looks at property tax rebate
Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
The Best Fanny Packs & Belt Bags for Every Occasion
Jason Kelce scorches Messi, MLS: 'Like Michael Jordan on a golf course.' Is he right?
Judge strikes down North Carolina law on prosecuting ex-felons who voted before 2024