WANTED: Justice for Rhys Pocan & MMIW Part 1
In 2021, we set out to cover the case of Rhys Pocan, a 35-year-old Indigenous woman who was murdered in Wisconsin in the ‘80s. But while we were in the field, we uncovered a disturbing pattern of murders with similarities to Rhys’ that were just too blatant to ignore. So, we spent the next three years working with local and federal law enforcement to try and get to the bottom of it.
In Part 1, when Rhys Pocan, a young mother of four, goes missing one summer night in Milwaukee, it sends shockwaves through her community. When her dismembered remains are found on a public hunting ground less than a month later, everyone hopes they might finally get some answers. But investigators struggle to unravel the case … and things don’t heat up until we step in.
If you have any information about the murder of Rhys Pocan, please contact Det. Nathan Hatch at the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office at 920-459-3135, or email him at [email protected]. You can also reach out to us at [email protected].
Charlee Pocan Russ has started a GoFundMe to raise money to help solve her mother’s murder. If you would like to donate or learn more, please visit this link.
Can’t wait for Part 2? You can listen to WANTED: Justice for Rhys Pocan & MMIW Part 2 in the Fan Club right now!
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Rhys Pocan.
Photo courtesy of Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office.
Rhys Pocan lived on the top floor of this Milwaukee house at the time of her disappearance.
Photo taken by audiochuck staff.
Rhys Pocan.
Photo courtesy of Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office.
Nichols Creek Wildlife Area, where Rhys’ dismembered body was found.
Photo taken by audiochuck staff.
The entrance to the Vernon Wildlife Area, where Rhys’ hands and skull were found.
Photo taken by audiochuck staff.
The area of the Vernon Marsh where the skull was found.
Photo taken by audiochuck staff.
Rhys Pocan.
Photo courtesy of the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office.
Rhys Pocan and her daughter, Charlee.
Photo courtesy of Charlee Pocan Russ.
An old photo of National Avenue, where the Golden Spike Tavern was.
Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Historical Society.
Home of the former Golden Spike Tavern on National Avenue.
Photo taken by audiochuck staff.
An old photo of the Bush Bar, one of the places Rhys was seen on the night she disappeared.
Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Historical Society.
An old photo of the American Indian Council on Alcoholism, the last place Rhys was seen alive.
Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Historical Society.
The former home of the American Indian Council on Alcoholism as it appears today.
Photo taken by audiochuck staff.
Rhys Pocan.
Photo courtesy of the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office.
Billboards were put up as part of a new investigation.
Photo courtesy of the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office.
Timeline:
Rhys drops her daughter, Charlee, off with her sister, Flavia, before heading to her boyfriend’s house.
2:45-3pm
Rhys stops by her boyfriend’s house
9pm
Rhys is seen at The Golden Spike Tavern in Milwaukee.
10-11pm
The bartender at the tavern sees Rhys leaving with an older man.
11:35pm
A woman named Shirley encounters Rhys at the American Indian Council on Alcoholism. This is the last time she is ever seen alive.
Rhys’ brother, Billy, reports Rhys missing.
A man calls police about finding a dismembered body near Nichols Creek in Sheboygan County. The head and hands are missing.
Someone finds a human hand in the Vernon Wildlife Area near Waukesha. It is inconclusive whether they belong to the body found in Sheboygan County.
The caller who found the body in Nichols Creek comes to police with more information.
A bone from one of the hands found in Waukesha is definitely connected to Rhys.
Caledonia, WI
Partial human remains were found in Caledonia in 1982 (Columbia County)
Racine, WI
Helen Sebastian hand and leg parts found in 1983.
Petrifying Springs Park
Eric Hansen remains found in 1983.
Vernon Wildlife Area
Oct 21, 1989: partial left human hand found. Oct 22: Right hand found. Nov. 18: skull found. Hands: 42°55'25.6"N 88°16'21.7"W. Skull and mandible: 42°55'12.0"N 88°16'14.8"W.
Menominee Reservation
Partial remains of Rae Tourtillott found on Menominee Reservation, spring 1987.
Price County
Where Susan Poupart’s remains are found in 1990.
Black River Falls, WI
Where Julia Baez’s remains are found in 1990.
Goose Lake Wildlife Area
Where Doris Mcleod’s remains are found in 1991.
St. Croix County
In October 2002, boy scouts find the skull and lower mandible of a Jane Doe in a ravine in St. Croix County, in far western Wisconsin. Authorities have said they likely belong to a Native American woman between 35 and 50.
Nichols Creek State Wildlife Area
Location of Rhys body found decapitated on Sept 2, 1989.
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
Susan Poupart remains found in November 1990.
Oneida County
In 2021, a skull is discovered in Oneida County, Wisconsin, which is way up north, not far from Vilas County. The skull is missing a lower jaw bone, and last I heard, investigators are working with anthropologists to determine who it belonged to. But a source told us it’s thought to be Native American.
Mohawk Valley Rd
Terry Dołowy found decapitated in February 1985.
Westby, WI
Vernon County Jane Doe found in 1984, hands removed.
Downtown Milwaukee, WI
- Location of Dahmer Bar and Dahmer Apartment
- Location of “Chris” Apartment
- Rhys was likely at CJ's house after 2pm, where she had a conversation with CJ and his brother BJ
- Julia Baez Apartment and Her Last Sighting
- Rhys Pocan Apartment
- Rhys and Charlee left here on bike. Carla Torres claims she was babysitting Charlee that afternoon and Rhys came back and checked on her before going out again.
- National Liquor Bar
- Rhys is here around 8:30pm. She had a beer with Bob Jalenik and Darin Wynos.
- Bush Bar
- An anonymous tip later said Rhys was at the Bush Bar between 9-9:30pm
- Golden Spike Tavern
- Rhys was confirmed to be here between 9 and 10pm, per Harry and bartender Judith. Rhys left with Harry to "sleep it off" at either 10 or 11pm.
- 11pm Possible Sighting of Barefoot Phys
- American Indian Council on Alcoholism
- 11:35pm, Shirley sees Rhys. Shirley says Rhys was disoriented but didn't smell like alcohol.
- Harry’s House
- Rhys and Harry made it to his backyard where Rhys tripped and fell. She got up and started walking back toward the bar and forgot her backpack.
- Where Harry Finds Rhys’ Shoes
- Harry grabbed Rhys' backpack and followed her to give it back. He stumbles upon Rhys' sandals at 34th and National Ave. Harry takes her stuff back to the Golden Spike Tavern but doesn't see Rhys again.
- Gene's Unicorn Bar
- Unknown who found Rhys' bike or when, but it was located outside Gene's Unicorn Bar.
- Where Rhys was last seen.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
- Original reporting by Emily Mieure
- Milwaukee Police Department Open Records Section
- Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court, Criminal Division – Records
- Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit: https://www.bia.gov/missing-murdered-cases/rhys-pocan
- The Reporter (Fond du Lac, WI): Woman’s body found. Published September 5, 1989. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/270402245
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): Scar may help officials ID body by Marion Stewart. Published September 5, 1989. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/241780793
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): Search continues for slaying clues by Kurt Mueller. Published September 6, 1989. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/241781346
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): Prospects dimming for identifying body by Kurt Mueller. Published September 30, 1989. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/241794362
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): Hands found; advance murder theory by Bill Shulz. Published October 23, 1989. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/241782959
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): State crime lab can’t get prints from two hands. Published November 3, 1989. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/241796656
- The Oshkosh Northwestern (Oshkosh, WI): Lab tests can’t identify hands. Published April 25, 1990. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/247972720
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): Headless, handless body identified by Bob Bushner. Published May 11, 1990. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/241856878
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): Forensic methods help identify body. Published May 26, 1990. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/241866942
- Marshfield News-Herald (Marshfield, WI): Police receive break in 1989 murder case. Published May 26, 1990. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/267944942
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): Skull may be tied to county case. Published November 20, 1990. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/242122533
- The Capital Times (Madison, WI): 2 murders similar: Agencies share data on killings. Published March 13, 1991. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/519970124
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): State to help with old murders by Troy Laack. Published October 28, 2001. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/242183624
- The Sheboygan Press (Sheboygan, WI): Decapitation shocked city by Troy Laack. Published October 30, 2001. Accessed May 8, 2023 via newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/image/242184441
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