The final installment of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Unsolved podcast series was released Thursday. In its third season, reporter Gina Barton investigates the mysterious death of a somewhat controversial Catholic priest in small town Wisconsin 20 years ago.
Alfred Kunz was a Catholic priest, the pastor of a church called St. Michael in the rural south central Wisconsin town of Dane. He served the community for years, but on March 4, 1998, he was found murdered in violent fashion in the church complex. No one has been arrested or convicted for the crime.
"This story definitely had more suspects and witnesses who were still alive and who were willing to talk than some of the previous seasons," Barton says.
While the case is two decades old and still unsolved, Barton says things have changed during the subsequent years. She says people who were around during that time may not have known certain details about the case, their friendships and relationships may have changed, or their stance on the church and its controversial priest and victim of this crime may have changed.
"Maybe there are reasons why somebody who didn't speak up 20 years ago would speak up now," she says.
While the final chapter's been released, Lake Effect's Mitch Teich will moderate a live Unsolved: The Devil You Know event on April 9. During the show, Barton will explore the death of Father Kunz and will be joined by a parishioner who knew Father Kunz and a detective. The event costs $10 and will be at the Backroom at Colectivo on Prospect Avenue in Milwaukee.
