May 24, 2007
|
Dep. DA Judy
Schwaemle and the Wisconsin Innocence Project reach agreement for DNA
testing by the Wisconsin Crime Lab of the tissue paper and Taco Bell
cup found near Sarah's body, the “rape kit” swabs taken at autopsy, and
the underpants and jeans Sarah was wearing when she died. Judge
Fiedler signs agreed order for testing.
|
June
23, 2007
|
Kelly Nolan
disappears and is murdered; her body is found on July 9th.
|
Dec.
19, 2009
|
Prof. John Pray of
the Wisconsin Innocence Project writes to Penny, telling her the tests
were inconclusive and her case has been closed.
|
Jan.
26, 2010
|
Penny responds,
with
unanswered questions about the DNA testing -- why promising evidence
was not tested, why the parts of Sarah's clothing least likely to
contain her killer's DNA were the only parts tested.
|
June
16, 2010
|
Prof. Pray writes
to
Penny, agreeing that the lab's efforts were poor and more testing
needed to be done, this time at a private lab. He tells her the
State will vigoroulsy oppose the motion, and he is right. The
opposition drags out the process.
|
Nov.
15, 2011 to
Feb. 10, 2015
|
Wisconsin
Innocence
Project represents Penny to obtain DNA testing by Bode Labs of clothing
and other items that seem the most promising to yield probative DNA,
that is, DNA that excludes Penny and includes Sarah's killer. The
bulk
of the costs were paid by generous people who contributed through this
website.
Some DNA from the earlier round of tests was destroyed. There
were
additional delays due to items being "lost" and then "found," and
because no standard of Sarah's DNA had ever been done. The items
tested were in poor condition, and the biological evidence had degraded
over the years.
Once again, Prof. John Pray of
the Wisconsin Innocence Project wrote to Penny, telling her the tests
were inconclusive and her case has been closed. |
|
|
Please
Help!
Please
help pay for defense costs and DNA
testing with your generous donation.
All
persons who donate $25.00 or more will receive a copy of "Who
Killed Sarah?" in e-book format, your choice of .pdf or .mobi (for
Kindle). Send us an e-mail
for details.
MIP Publications
If you prefer, you
can send a check to:
Penny
Brummer Defense Fund
The
People's Community Bank
P. O. Box
369
Spring
Green, WI 53588
Checks
should be made payable to "Penny Brummer Defense Fund". Thank you!
$10,000.00 reward for
information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the
person(s) responsible for the death of Sarah Gonstead, call
tips to 800-407-1178.
|
NOW
|
Prof. Pray has told
Penny that if compelling evidence identifying Sarah's killer can be
developed, the Wisconsin Innocence Project will re-open her case and
represent her in court.
|
Anyone who has read Who Killed Sarah? or even reviewed
this website knows that we have a suspect initially under suspicion by
Madison PD, during the time Sarah was missing but before her body was
found. When Sarah's remains were found outside the city, her
murder was under the jurisdiction of the Dane County Sheriff's
Department, and they had only one suspect: Penny Brummer.
James Foseid pushed the prosecution's case over the top when he emerged
mid-trial, claiming he heard Penny at a bar vowing to kill her lover's
friend, whom she called "a fat, ugly bitch." His story changed
three times before the end of the trial, but jurors believed him.
His story has continued to change to this day.
In 2018, nearly a quarter century after Sarah was killed and Penny was
convicted, we obtained copies of a joint report by agents of the FBI,
ATF, Wis. Dept. of Justice and Vernon County Sheriff's Office. It
detailed the role of Michael O'Neill, who at the time was a private
detective in Madison, WI, in protecting members of the outlaw biker
clubs when they were charged with crimes. Mr. O'Neill, in
exchange for 3.5 grams of cocaine "retainer" per week ("8 ball"), would
come up with alibis for club members, then pay people to go to the
police or DA with the alibis. Sometimes Mr. O'Neill would hire
someone to plant drugs in a target's car, then call the anonymous tip
line to turn them in.
So why is that important? Michael O'Neill was the defense
investigator in Penny's case. He attached himself at her initial
appearance and convinced Penny's mother that no one else could do the
job as well as he could. We can't ask Mr. O'Neill about this
because he died more than 10 years ago. He had a deep interest in
protecting his drug sources, and a facility for paying people to lie
and frame others.
Was there a connection between Mike O'Neill and James
Foseid? If you know, call the tip line, 800-407-1178.
It is time to fully
develop the case against the killer. Sarah Gonstead and Penny
Brummer deserve nothing less than holding him fully
accountable, as do the other, vulnerable victims he has assaulted over
the years.
We have located an
outstanding private investigator
who is already
familiar with the case and enthusiastic about developing this suspect,
following the evidence where it takes her. She is one of the most
respected private investigators in the Midwest. This is where YOU
come in.
Penny needs to raise
enough money to pay for the expenses of investigation, to
fully
develop the case against the man who killed Sarah and Kelly, and who
has assaulted numerous other victims as well. Without your help,
Penny could spend the rest of her life in prison for his crime.
And the killer will remain free to kill again.
Back to Top
|
|
|
Take Action!
1) Share this story with everyone you
know using all of your social networks. Point people to this website.
2) If you know anything, call 800-407-1178.
Wait for the cue to leave a
message. Do the right thing, and be
rewarded for it.
3) Ask DA Ismael Ozanne
to reopen the investigation (Dane Co. DA's Office, 215 S Hamilton St.,
Ste 3000, Madison, WI 53703-3211) Sign the Petition!!
4) Say a prayer.
|
