83-year-old Jerome Bayer arrested for the murder of James Ruland
22 september 2026 в 11:13
Eighty-three-year-old Jerome Beyer was arrested on charges of murdering his former roommate James «Jim» Ruland, who has been missing for over 31 years in Wisconsin. The arrest took place on September 18, when Fond du Lac County sheriff’s deputies apprehended Beyer near Spencer.
Ruland, who was 40 years old at the time of his disappearance, was last seen on October 24, 1995. Two days later, a witness claimed to have seen him possibly hitchhiking in North Fond du Lac. According to the sheriff’s office, Ruland was living with Beyer when he went missing, and investigators believe there was a conflict between them over missing money and utility bills. Ruland had already found another place to live and was planning to move before his disappearance.
After he went missing, Ruland’s car was found at a gas station in North Fond du Lac. Over the past three decades, authorities have searched for Ruland’s remains, as the case became a murder investigation based on evidence related to his disappearance. The investigation involved search dogs, radar technology, aerial searches, and extensive excavations of potential burial sites.
On Friday morning, detectives searched Beyer’s home located on a rural property in Spencer, after which he was arrested and taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail. At a court hearing on September 21, his bail was set at $ 1 million. A criminal complaint obtained by a local television station alleges that Beyer intentionally killed Ruland while they were living together in the city of Ripon. In 2023, search dogs detected «the scent of human remains» on Beyer’s property in Ripon.
The Fond du Lac County sheriff’s office reported that Ruland’s family has requested privacy regarding the news of Beyer’s arrest. The department emphasized that for 31 years, detectives have remained committed to uncovering the truth about James Ruland’s murder and urged anyone with information about the case to contact the detectives.
Ruland, who was 40 years old at the time of his disappearance, was last seen on October 24, 1995. Two days later, a witness claimed to have seen him possibly hitchhiking in North Fond du Lac. According to the sheriff’s office, Ruland was living with Beyer when he went missing, and investigators believe there was a conflict between them over missing money and utility bills. Ruland had already found another place to live and was planning to move before his disappearance.
After he went missing, Ruland’s car was found at a gas station in North Fond du Lac. Over the past three decades, authorities have searched for Ruland’s remains, as the case became a murder investigation based on evidence related to his disappearance. The investigation involved search dogs, radar technology, aerial searches, and extensive excavations of potential burial sites.
On Friday morning, detectives searched Beyer’s home located on a rural property in Spencer, after which he was arrested and taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail. At a court hearing on September 21, his bail was set at $ 1 million. A criminal complaint obtained by a local television station alleges that Beyer intentionally killed Ruland while they were living together in the city of Ripon. In 2023, search dogs detected «the scent of human remains» on Beyer’s property in Ripon.
The Fond du Lac County sheriff’s office reported that Ruland’s family has requested privacy regarding the news of Beyer’s arrest. The department emphasized that for 31 years, detectives have remained committed to uncovering the truth about James Ruland’s murder and urged anyone with information about the case to contact the detectives.
© Puhova Marina
