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Human remains found in 1993 near Illinois border identified; homicide investigation underway

By Jenna Carroll
Published  August 27, 2024 5:53pm CDT
Wisconsin
FOX 32 Chicago

Ronald Louis Dodge: Cold case victim with ties to Chicago identified

Wisconsin officials announced this week that they have positively identified human remains found near the Illinois border in 1993.

The Brief

    • Wisconsin officials have identified human remains found in 1993 near the Illinois border as Ronald Louis Dodge, who was originally buried as an unidentified John Doe.
    • The Kenosha County Medical Examiner's Office and Pleasant Prairie Police Department have reopened the investigation into Dodge's death, which has been determined to be a homicide.
    • Police are seeking information from the public, as new forensic testing reveals Dodge suffered a gunshot wound, and his wife, Kathryn Erickson, passed away in Chicago shortly after his death.

KENOSHA COUNTY, Wisco. - Wisconsin officials announced this week that they have positively identified human remains found near the Illinois border in 1993.

The Kenosha County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Pleasant Prairie Police Department determined that the remains found on Aug. 27, 1993, along the Soo Line (now Canadian Pacific) rail tracks in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin have been identified as Ronald Louis Dodge.

Police determined that Dodge was born on Dec. 27, 1952, in Keshena, Wisconsin on the Menominee Indian Reservation.

When his remains were discovered in 1993, police were unable to positively identify them, and he was buried in St. John's Cemetery in Randall, Wisconsin. Following the positive identification, his remains were returned to his family on the Menominee Reservation.

In December 2014, Kenosha County Medical Examiner Patrice Hall resumed the investigation into John Doe's death after learning that the Pleasant Prairie Police Department retained the 1993 John Doe skull as evidence.

"The Kenosha County Medical Examiner’s Office remains committed to identifying those individuals who do not have their name," said Hall. "In my almost 20-year career in working in death investigation, Ronald’s case has proven to be the most difficult to solve. I am humbled to have the honor of giving Ronald back his name, reuniting him with his family, and bringing the Dodge family the answers they have been looking for all of these years."

Hall was also able to determine that Dodge was a victim of homicide and police have reopened the investigation into his death.

Chief David Smetana of the Pleasant Prairie Police Department said no suspects, persons of interest or leads have been identified.

"Our work now continues in the case as new forensic testing has determined that Ronald Dodge suffered a gunshot wound near the time of his death," Smetana said. "Our detectives are requesting anyone with any information on this case to come forward and help our agency in bringing justice to the Dodge family."

While investigating his death, it was determined Dodge was married and possibly living on the North Side of Chicago at the time of his death. His wife, Kathryn Erickson, died in Chicago in November 1993.

Anyone with any information on Dodge is asked to contact the Pleasant Prairie Police Department at 262-948-8910 or by email at tips@pleasantprairiewi.gov.

Anonymous tips can be submitted to Kenosha Area Crime Stoppers at 262-656-7333 or 800-807-8477.

The Source

  • FOX 32 received information on this cold case from the Kenosha County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Pleasant Prairie Police Department at a news conference.