The identity of a man found dead in Oneida County over 40 years ago has been determined.
Norman Grasser of Chicago was found dead in a field on March 19th of 1980.
The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and Oneida County Medical Examiner’s Office had been called to a location in the Town of Pine Lake, where a witness had found the body in the snow near Highway 17.
There was no identification on the body, and Grasser could not be identified at that time.
An autopsy showed he died from exposure to the cold.
Efforts have gone on since to determine who he was.
The man’s clothing and other belongings were collected by the Sheriff’s Office to assist in identification.
The unidentified male’s fingerprints were sent to the State Crime Laboratory as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation for possible identification, with negative matches.
Over time, this case continued to be investigated through missing persons report follow ups and press releases.
In 2019, the unidentified male was entered into NamUs, a national database for missing and unidentified and unclaimed person cases across the United States. Multiple possible matches were generated and followed up on, again with negative matches.
The body was exhumed in 2021, and a DNA sample was taken.
Items collected were sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico for DNA profiling.
In January 2023, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office enlisted the assistance of Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center, to perform advanced forensic DNA testing and a genealogy search.
As a result of the work performed by students at the college a new lead was developed, resulting in Grasser’s identification.
Subsequent investigation revealed that Grasser had been reported missing by family members in Cook County, IL in January 1980.
The Grasser family is grateful to everybody involved for ending their 43 year nightmare. During this time, the Grasser family requests privacy so they can grieve and process this information.
The following agencies assisted in this case:
Oneida County Sheriff’s Office
Oneida County Buildings and Grounds
Oneida County District Attorney’s Office
City of Rhinelander Parks Department
Vilas County Sheriff’s Office
Eagle River Police Department
Woodruff Police Department
Rhinelander Police Department
Forest County Sheriff’s Office
Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office
Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center
Intermountain Forensics
WJFW Newswatch 12
Federal Bureau of Investigations
Wisconsin State Crime Lab
University of Wisconsin Pathology Department
Fond du Lac Medical Examiner’s Office
NamUs- National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
Father Chris Kemp- Nativity of Our Lord Church
