Jerome Baier (Photo courtesy Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office)
FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The man charged in the 1995 cold case murder of his roommate appeared in court Monday.
A $1 million cash bond was set for Jerome Baier, 83.
Baier is charged with first-degree murder in the 1995 death of 40-year-old James “Jim” Ruland.
Ruland was last confirmed to have been seen on Oct. 24, 1995. A witness reported possibly having seen Ruland hitchhiking in North Fond du Lac two days later. Ruland’s vehicle was later found at the Stretch Truck Stop in North Fond du Lac.
In the years immediately following Ruland’s disappearance, Baier pleaded no contest to forging Ruland’s signature on two checks and cashing them. In 1997, sheriff’s officials said they did not have any reason to suspect Baier in Ruland’s disappearance.
Sheriff’s officials say their three-decade-long investigation included the use of dogs that could detect human remains, ground-penetrating radar, aerial searches large-scale excavations of potential burial sites, searches of waterways with divers and the search of a manure pit at a pig farm.
The criminal complaint explaining what led prosecutors to charge Baier now is expected to be released Monday.
Baier is due back in court Oct. 1.
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