Found Deceased WI - Joan Bue Butterbach, Oct 5, 1971, Tainter Lake, Menomonie, WI, wife of ex-CIA agent *cold case*

[Quoththeraven]

Joan Bue Butterbach left her home at 1431 Garfield Ave, Waukesha WI for Bird Island, MN during the early morning hours of October 5, 1971 to visit friends. She was supposed to continue on from there to the Bue family farm in Chatfield, MN. She was found April 18, 1977, strangled, in the trunk of her 1969 Ford Mustang near the Lamb's Creek boat landing, Tainter Lake in the Town of Tainter, WI, just north of Menomonie, WI.

The Leader-Telegram, Tue, Apr 19, 1977, Page 1 stated that the partially-clothed body was found face down in the trunk. A piece of clothing, possibly a portion of her dress, was knotted tightly around her neck. When she failed to arrive Oct. 9 at the home of her brother-in-law in Rochester, MN, she was reported as missing.

WI - WI - Mary Schlais, 25, Dunn County, 15 February 1974

The body of 25-year-old Mary Schlais was found in a snowy ditch 90 miles east of the Twin Cities in Dunn County, Wis. three hours after she left her apartment to hitchhike to an art show in Chicago. Schlais had been stabbed more than a dozen times. One of the key clues is a black and white...

www.websleuths.com

Incredibly, townspeople diving in the lake had known the car was in Tainter Lake for four years prior to it being found but never bothered to report it to the authorities.

"During the summer of 1972, local kids discovered a submerged vehicle in Tainter Lake, Menomonie, WI. They used it to dive from into the cool waters. (This “lake” looks more like a river as it is approximately 50 yards wide. On one side is a Supper Club called Jake’s and directly across, on the other shoreline, is the boat launch that was used to launch the car into the water). The kids had reported to authorities that the car was there and went so far as to break off a windshield wiper to prove their finding. It would be safe to say that many (if not all) of the town’s 11,112 residents knew there was a submerged car in the water. This included the Sheriff of Dunn County, Sheriff Daryl “Corky” Spagnoletti, who took no interest or action. Why?" Sheriff Spagnoletti also had all the evidence from the car destroyed sometime after the car was found.

Sheriff Spagnoletti of Dunn County was in charge of that investigation and also the abduction and murder of 25 year old Mary Schlais, also in Dunn County. Schlais' body was found near 408th Ave, Elk Creek Lake, Township of Spring Brook, WI, 15 miles east of Menomonie, WI, Feb 15, 1974.

WI - WI - Mary Schlais, 25, Dunn County, 15 February 1974

The body of 25-year-old Mary Schlais was found in a snowy ditch 90 miles east of the Twin Cities in Dunn County, Wis. three hours after she left her apartment to hitchhike to an art show in Chicago. Schlais had been stabbed more than a dozen times. One of the key clues is a black and white...

www.websleuths.com

Citizens Against Homicide, page 4

https://www.citizensagainsthomicide.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CAH-Newsletter-July-2019.pdf

Tampering with the throttle assembly isn't something your average person would be able to do. An auto mechanic would more than likely be able to do this.

In processing the vehicle, it was discovered the headlight switch on the vehicle was in the “on” position; the ignition was in the“on” position; the spare tire was removed from the trunk and was placed in the back seat; the throttle assembly was taken apart, the spring was removed and it was locked into a wide open position. This allowed the car to be catapulted down the boat ramp and into the water without assistance from a driver.

Waukesha Daily Freeman Wed, Apr 20, 1977, Page 1 & 3

Article clipped from Waukesha Daily Freeman

Clipping found in Waukesha Daily Freeman published in Waukesha, Wisconsin on 4/20/1977. : 1977- Joan Butterbach died 5Oct1971 - found in car in trench ouside of Waukesha, WI, tragically her husband committed suicide 1973 -John J., leaving 1 daughter & 2 sons.

www.newspapers.com

Daryl "Corky" Spagnoletti Obituary (1939 - 2018)

Daryl was born on March 23rd, 1939 and passed away on March 26th, 2018 at the age of 79

olsonfuneral.com

According to the Waukesha Daily Freeman, Wed, Apr 20, 1977, Page 1, Sheriff Spagnoletti stated that the state crime lab determined that the car had been submerged about Oct 5, the day she left Waukesha.

 

[Quoththeraven]

Interesting how the spare tire went from the back seat of the 1969 Mustang to the trunk weighing down the suitcase. Otherwise it might have floated to the top a long time ago?

Sources: Newspapers.com

"Apparently, it was common practice for all sheriff departments to send their evidence to Madison, Wisconsin to be stored. Finally, the day came when Madison informed all the municipalities they would be sending their evidence back to them, they just did not have the room for it any more. Upon receiving Joan’s murder evidence, Spagnoletti had it destroyed. Now, in a murder investigation, it is state law that evidence must always be preserved...The evidence included clothing, jewelry and some sort of binding that was used." Did the evidence include the Mobil Gas receipt?

https://www.citizensagainsthomicide.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CAH-Newsletter-July-2019.pdf

"The family was not provided a copy of the autopsy report nor a copy of the Mobil receipt with Joan’s signature."

In tracing her route, she drove Wisconsin I-94, prior to the exit (right) into Menomonie, she stopped at a Mobil Gas Station to fill up (per gas receipt).

https://www.citizensagainsthomicide.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CAH-Newsletter-July-2019.pdf

Another interesting observation:

Corky was very active in the community. He was past president of the Menomonie Lions and JayCees and was a Master Mason and Past Master of Lodge 164 in Menomonie. He earned his 32 Degree Scottish Right and served as a Shriner in the Eau Claire Mehara Shrine Club where he was involved with the Funsters and paraded with the Shrine Clown Club for many years. Corky was also a faithful Packer and Badger fan. Corky was well known to many. His smile and jovial manner put people at ease while his energy and enthusiasm got things done. He loved his family, going to their cabin at Barnes, WI

Daryl "Corky" Spagnoletti Obituary (1939 - 2018)

Daryl was born on March 23rd, 1939 and passed away on March 26th, 2018 at the age of 79

olsonfuneral.com

Wisconsin did send their elite cold case detectives to look into this homicide. The Wisconsin DOJ report that the cold case detectives put together was shared with the family, but that was all. They refused to provide them a copy. The current Sheriff provided no further info except that most of the report was their investigative questioning aimed at Daryl Spagnoletti.

This is the same sheriff who gave conflicting statements about the spare tire, destroyed evidence on Joan's murder, and knew the vehicle was in the water for years and failed to investigate it. Most of the report was their investigative questioning of the sheriff.

https://www.citizensagainsthomicide.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CAH-Newsletter-July-2019.pdf

Unfortunately, the family was told that in 1992, volunteers at the WPD had changed all the old reports to microfiche and in that process the reports in reference to the Joan Butterbach homicide were misplaced. To this day, the reports have not been located.

https://www.citizensagainsthomicide.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CAH-Newsletter-July-2019.pdf

 

[Linear13]

Very unusual and strange case. Especially since the husband took his life in 1973. Yet it looks like the sheriff of the county where she was found did everything possible to either make himself look suspect or make himself look like the most incompetent sheriff in WI.

 

[Teamir]

This one will be impossible to solve IMO. It sucks.

 

[Rush4087]

This one will be impossible to solve IMO. It sucks.

I too believe the case will never be solved. Very sad. Also suspect the perp has been dead for some time now.

My questions would be:

1.) how does anybody know she actually left her home at 1431 Garfield .. for Bird Island.? Was there a witness to her actual departure? Anybody see her driving?

2.) it sounds like gas was purchased at a Mobil station, as there was a receipt inside the car. They didn't say that it was a Mobile cc receipt, just a gas receipt. If she was was not in the trunk, I think she (of if she was with someone, they) would have used the card. If the card wasn't used, I say it was because she was in the trunk

3.) What did witnessed say at the Mobil station? Woman? Man? Couple?

The planning (a practice run) for the accelerator pedal and carb could have been down in Advance, then executed more quickly near the river

It's a travesty (and maybe a crime) that all that evidence was destroyed by SO or is now lost. People should've been fired

4.) Was there any evidence of marital conflict? Had she recently filed for divorce? Did she have any significant asssets?

5.) was the home ever looked at as a possible crime scene?

6.) Why was he a retired CIA agent at that age? Good personnel record?

7.) Apparently he was the only POI (my term). I wonder what his alibi was, and whether police really, really, really tested it.

8.) could there have a been another individual involved? Would the retired agent of know of such people ?

9.) I wonder why her husband committed suicide 3 years later? Could've been he just missed her, idk

Jmo

 

[azure]

What an incredibly small world. I don't live in Wisconsin, and I wasn't born until 15 years after Joan was murdered, but I have been to Jake's. It's a fantastic place. I'd never have guessed a local murder mystery happened mere feet away.

 

[Quoththeraven]

IMO, whoever murdered Joan rigged the throttle to cause the vehicle to go into the water at a high rate of speed, something an experienced auto mechanic would know how to do. Joan Butterbach was strangled with a piece of her own clothing, which was knotted around her neck, according to an autopsy report.

The car's ignition was in the on position, the car's headlight switch was also in the on position, the left driver's window was open and the right front passenger door was in the locked position. Whoever killed her, did so at night and probably reached in the driver's window to turn the ignition switch on which sent the car into the water at high speed.

Since she left her home in Waukesha at 10 am and it takes 3 hours and 40 minutes to reach Menomonie, Wi via 94, we can assume Joan would have reached that gas station about 1:40 pm, Oct 5. (There was only one Mobile gas station in Menomonie, Wi in 1971, Kraska's Mobil Service. It was later converted into a law office).

Sunset in October was around 9 pm, so, between 1:40 pm and 9 pm (about 7 hours, 20 minutes) we can approximate when she was taken, strangled and placed in the trunk before being submerged in her car sometime after 9 pm. IMO. It would also be interesting to find out what time she got gas that day according to her Mobil receipt.

https://www.citizensagainsthomicide.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/CAH-Newsletter-July-2019.pdf

“she stopped at a Mobil Gas Station to fill up (per gas receipt)”

“The Mobil Station at the time did car repair work, so if there had been a fender bender, the mechanic could have taken care of it”

“In processing the vehicle, it was discovered the headlight switch on the vehicle was in the “on”position; the ignition was in the “on” position; the spare tire was removed from the trunk and was placed in the backseat; the throttle assembly was taken apart, the spring was removed and it was locked into a wide open position.”

Article link: Newspapers.com

“Upon receiving Joan”s murder evidence,Spagnoletti had it destroyed.”

“First, the car purposely being left submerged in the lake for 6 years and then all the evidence destroyed. The evidence included clothing, jewelry and some sort of binding that was used.”

“The current Sheriff provided no further info except that most of the report was their investigative questioning aimed at Daryl Spagnoletti.”

Unfortunately, the family was told that in 1992, volunteers at the WPD had changed all the old reports to microfiche and in that process the reports in reference to the Joan Butterbach homicide were misplaced. To this day, the reports have not been located.”

“Since her husband was a sales rep for Mobil Gas (and had stopped there many times in the past)”

Photo source: Newspapers.com Waukesha Daily Freeman Waukesha, Wisconsin · Wednesday, April 20, 1977

Found Deceased Post in thread 'WI - Joan Bue Butterbach, Oct 5, 1971, Tainter Lake, Menomonie, WI, wife of ex-CIA agent *cold case*'

Mar 29, 2025

Interesting how the spare tire went from the back seat of the 1969 Mustang to the trunk weighing down the suitcase. Otherwise it might have floated to the top a long time ago?

Sources: Newspapers.com

"Apparently, it was common practice for all sheriff departments to send their evidence to Madison, Wisconsin to be stored. Finally, the day came when Madison informed all the municipalities they would be sending their evidence back to them, they just did not have the room for it any more. Upon receiving Joan’s murder evidence, Spagnoletti had it...

• Quoththeraven

• 

 

[Linear13]

I wonder what the logic was for the sheriff to destroy evidence in a murder? Why was no one interested in the car even though the whole town knew it was in the lake? Did her husband leave a note when he killed himself in 1973? Poor lady I fear we will never know who did this.

 

[FairyGlitter]

I too believe the case will never be solved. Very sad. Also suspect the perp has been dead for some time now.

My questions would be:

1.) how does anybody know she actually left her home at 1431 Garfield .. for Bird Island.? Was there a witness to her actual departure? Anybody see her driving?

2.) it sounds like gas was purchased at a Mobil station, as there was a receipt inside the car. They didn't say that it was a Mobile cc receipt, just a gas receipt. If she was was not in the trunk, I think she (of if she was with someone, they) would have used the card. If the card wasn't used, I say it was because she was in the trunk

3.) What did witnessed say at the Mobil station? Woman? Man? Couple?

The planning (a practice run) for the accelerator pedal and carb could have been down in Advance, then executed more quickly near the river

It's a travesty (and maybe a crime) that all that evidence was destroyed by SO or is now lost. People should've been fired

4.) Was there any evidence of marital conflict? Had she recently filed for divorce? Did she have any significant asssets?

5.) was the home ever looked at as a possible crime scene?

6.) Why was he a retired CIA agent at that age? Good personnel record?

7.) Apparently he was the only POI (my term). I wonder what his alibi was, and whether police really, really, really tested it.

8.) could there have a been another individual involved? Would the retired agent of know of such people ?

9.) I wonder why her husband committed suicide 3 years later? Could've been he just missed her, idk

Jmo

According to the book "Cold cases of West Central Wisconsin" the husband passed 3 lie detector tests, had several solid alibis for the time frame she was gone (his job, neighbors and their teenage kids) and even hired a P.I. to find her. The kids all verified she did leave, and the parents had a rock solid marriage. The father apparently became so distraught after she went missing he started drinking heavily before he took his own life