The Only Unsolved Murder in Martin County, Minnesota
In 1975, JoAnn Bontjes was an ambitious hairdresser, young and headstrong. That year, she would be abducted on the side of the road, shot, and killed.
Bontjes lived and died in rural Minnesota, the victim of a disturbing and heinous abduction and murder that most people have never heard about.
Admittedly, this is a difficult case to research. There’s not much information available, and I was only pointed to this case from a Reddit thread.
Bontjes’ death remains the only unsolved murder in the state’s Martin County.
JoAnn Bontjes Isn’t Forgotten
While Bontjes’ case has gone unsolved, she certainly hasn’t been forgotten. A former police chief named Don Mickelson has been researching the case and posting his thoughts and findings to Facebook via a page called Justice for JoAnn Bontjes. While Mickelson did not work her case during his police career, he appears dedicated to solving it now.
Bontjes was a successful woman who had a salon and a reputation as a good hairdresser in her community, all by the time she turned 21.
Based on the information available in news reports, Mickelson’s Facebook group, and an examination of maps of the area, this is what I’ve been able to put together.
