Unlocking Justice: How New Technology Could Revive the Franklin 1986 Homicide Case

FRANKLIN, Wis. – A man was brutally stabbed to death in a grim incident from the past.

This long-standing case has kept officers guessing. But with new tech on their side, they may finally make progress.

Franklin Cold Case

The backstory:

On South 27th Street near the county line lies West Elm Road. Back in the 1980s, a bar stood at the corner, but the area has since transformed into industrial space.

Yet, on February 1, 1986, things remained unchanged.

Two men discovered a body in a ditch by a farmer’s field.

A Body Found

What we know:

The victim was identified as Lyle Trudeau, age 27. He is one of just two cold cases still open in Franklin.

Trudeau often visited bars in the south suburbs and was last spotted at a bar on East Layton in Cudahy, then known as Corey’s Port of Call.

Witnesses claimed they saw Trudeau leave the bar with three men. One of them hit him and forced him into a car.

Early on, police had potential suspects but the trail went cold.

New Technology

What’s next:

Investigators have not given up. They’re revisiting the case and hope new DNA methods will shed light on what happened.

In the past, someone entered the Klondike Tap bar with blood on their hands, shortly after Trudeau’s death. The bar’s owner called police after cleaning up a bloody towel. This clue is now in the hands of current detectives.

This could lead to new answers, even if the outcome remains uncertain.

Police Weigh In

What they’re saying:

“We’re passing the torch of this investigation through the years,” said police captain Jason Ireland. “It’s like a puzzle where we’re trying to find the missing pieces. With today’s technology, we have a better chance to solve it.

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