Investigators Optimistic after Taking a New Look at 1998 Murder of Catholic Priest

By Rob Schultz
Wisconsin State Journal
March 3, 2012

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime_and_courts/investigators-optimistic-after-taking-a-new-look-at-murder-of/article_123000fe-64b3-11e1-b4d2-001871e3ce6c.html

In this March 5, 1998 photo, Sheriff's Capt. Mike Plumer, in charge of investigating the murder of the Rev. Alfred Kunz, leaves the crime scene to meet with officials at a Village Hall command post nearby.

New technology and some potentially new leads have a Dane County Sheriff's detective feeling optimistic that the mystery surrounding the 1998 slaying of a Catholic priest may soon be solved.

Veteran detective Mary Butler recently took over the case and said the state Crime Laboratory is providing a full-time analyst to take a new look at evidence that could shed light on the murder of the Rev. Alfred Kunz, pastor of St. Michael Church in Dane.

Sunday is the 14th anniversary of the murder of Kunz, 67, who was found with his throat slit in an adjoining parochial school. He had been pastor of the church for 32 years.

"Absolutely I think this case could get solved. If the right piece of information comes forward I feel confident we could move forward and charge somebody on this," Butler said. "I think there's somebody out there who knows something."

Butler, 44, said the crime lab is already re-analyzing old DNA evidence as well as some additional fingerprints. "They said there are things they can do now that they couldn't do back then," she said. "There is a renewed amount of energy on the case."

Butler said some people have recently come forward with tips on the case. Some hadn't approached the police prior to this point because they thought the case was solved or they were too young at the time of the murder, she added.

"I'm just keeping an open mind and seeing what comes in and following through with any tips that we do have," said Butler, who asked anyone who has any knowledge of the crime to contact her.

Complicating the case are all the potential motives.

"There was money that was just left in the church. Instead of doing proper banking like I guess a church would do now, there was money left in bags in the church. So burglary was a motive," Butler said.

"There were accusations against the father for having relationships with women so there was that avenue," she added. "There were people who maybe didn't particularly care for Father Kunz, which is another avenue. There were allegations that he was investigating other people and that could be an avenue."

Butler said there was evidence that a door to the church may have been pried open, which could add fuel to the burglary angle. "But we don't know when (the forced entry) occurred," Butler added. "Did it happen that night or did it occur three months earlier?"

She has also talked to crime experts who believe that Kunz fought with the suspect. "It appears the suspect could have had injuries," she said.

Butler, who was working on a different homicide case at the time of the Kunz murder, likes the challenge of this case. "It's horrific what happened to Father Kunz that day," she said. "It's complicated. It's not a cut-and-dried case but I think it's solvable."

Contact: rschultz@madison.com