Wisconsin authorities have successfully solved a 65-year-old cold case involving the disappearance of a young boy from Michigan, all thanks to the crucial breakthrough provided by DNA evidence.
Detectives discovered that the Houghton County Sheriff’s Department in Michigan, located around 300 miles north, was actively searching for a missing child named Markku Jutila. Relatives of the boy’s adopted parents, William and Hilja, alerted Houghton County deputies and Chicago police to the peculiar circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
In 1966, the authorities arrested the couple and subsequently extradited them to Wisconsin. However, the charges against them were dropped due to the lack of a solid connection between the recovered body and the adopted boy.
Police were able to re-examine the remains of Chester Alfred Breiney, thanks to advancements in DNA analysis. They were able to identify him as the son of a woman who had passed away in 2001.
The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office reached out to Othram, a renowned DNA testing lab that has successfully solved numerous cold cases, in July 2024 for their expertise in assisting with the investigation.
After conducting a thorough investigation, it was determined that the boy had suffered from a previously healed broken rib, which supported the mother’s claim of physically abusing him. Additionally, it was discovered that the boy’s cause of death was attributed to severe neglect.
After 65 years, the police were finally able to confirm that the body found matched members of the Breiney family. Using DNA from a skull fragment, they were able to positively identify the remains as belonging to the missing boy.
The sheriff’s office has announced that no charges will be filed in the case, as all individuals involved in the boy’s death have already passed away. Specifically, the boy’s adoptive parents had died back in 1988.
Sheriff Christy Knowles expressed in a statement that while no one will face prosecution for the death of Chester Alfred Breiney, there is solace in knowing the truth behind his passing. The Sheriff emphasized that no child should have to leave this world in the manner Chester did, and his hope is that Chester may now find peace.
Investigative teams tirelessly pursued justice for Chester from the moment he was discovered in 1959. Even though 65 years have passed since his murder, Chester’s memory has remained indelible.