29 Year-Old Cold Case Solved in Wisconsin

Almost 3 decades ago, a most disturbing event took place in a sleepy little town about 40 miles west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Between Sullivan and Ixonia, there was a facility known as the Concord House. It is a complete recreational area with camping, a lodge, and a hall that is often rented for large parties and wedding receptions.On August 9, 1980, a pair of high school sweethearts went to a wedding reception at the Concord House. Tim Hack and Kelly Drew were 19 years old at the time. Tim's father reported him missing the couple missing on the morning of August 10. The couple had been seen leaving the reception about 11 PM. In the morning, Tim's father found his car in the parking lot, locked, undisturbed and with his wallet inside. (Unrelated but just as disturbing, a 17 year old girl from Ixonia disappeared from prom at the Concord House in 1973. She was never found.)For weeks, volunteers combed the countryside surrounding the Concord House, looking for the couple. About a week after their disappearance, searchers found the cut up remains of Kelly Drew's pants, her bra and her panties. The rest of their clothes were found in the area, mostly in ditches and fields. Kelly's purse was also recovered. (Interestingly, one of Tim's shoes turned up in a hay bale in central Wisconsin.) Later that fall, hunters found Kelly Drew's body in the woods, about 8 miles west of the Concord House. She had been bound at the wrist and ankles. Tim Hack's body was located the next day, not very far away from Kelly Drew's body. Kelly Drew had been strangled, Tim Hack was stabbed in the back and the chest.The mystery has gone unsolved for almost three decades. It was a high profile case at the time and everyone hoped for a rapid solution, but not was coming. Authorities questioned known serial killers after their arrests but nothing was found. Retired detectives have said that several times they thought they had a valid suspect in their crosshairs, only to find the suspect had an air-tight alibi. One theory was that the killer was a drifter who lured the usually helpful Tim by asking for aid. (Interstate 94 runs just to the north of the Concord House campus.) Modern technology has come into play in the case that still haunts detective at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.Today, it was announced, that DNA testing has zeroed in on a prime suspect. Semen found on Kelly's pants has been matched to a Louisville, Kentucky man. Edward W. Edwards is 76 years old. Jefferson County Sheriff detectives traveled to Louisville to interview Edwards in June. He was always on the fringe of the investigation because he had worked at the Concord House at the time of Hack and Drew's disappearance. He said he didn't remember the couple but might have seen them, because he lived at the campground and stopped in for a couple of beers. Edwards was a handyman at the Concord House at the time, he was questioned back then and had a bloody nose that couldn't be explained.On July 8, DNA testing at the state crime lab identified semen on Drew's pants as being from Edwards. He is in custody in Louisville and is awaiting extradition to Wisconsin to face homicide charges.Cold case closed.Read more about the solution of this case at the http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-wi-sweetheartsslayin,0,5401878.story online.(Some of this article comes from my probably spotty memory of the case.)

Wow - closure. Late, but still closure.

We have a similar unsolved case here locally. I don't know the exact date but it was in the late '80's a young woman was hiking alone on Thumb Butte, a popluar and well know area for Prescott AZ. She was killed. It rocked our little town (it was little back then). I still think of her and wonder what happened. This story gives me hope that someday the dirt bag who did it will be brought to justice, and for Paige too!!

That's why I follow these things. I remember the Hack-Drew case because it happened close to where I used to work, I'd been to Concord House for events in the past, and Kelly was very close in age to my brand-new, future ex-wife. (We had been married just a four weeks before, but we did not have the reception at the Concord House.)

I'm so glad the family finally has some answers. Makes me pray harder for Paige's family.

This gives me greater hope that Paige will eventually receive justice. Thank you KG.

Wow. How thankful for the family's to finally have some closure after 30 years. THANKS KG!

Actually, one of the family members isn't so happy. (If you read the Trib's article, you'll see quotes.) For some family members, the arrest rips open old wounds that were healed over.Speaking for myself, I'd want to know. I don't know how the wound of a loved one being murdered could ever really heal.