The death of Kenneth ‘Punky’ Wells was a case that rocked the city of Rhinelander for years, and it’s once again getting attention. Rhinelander Detective Josh Chiamulera was honored Monday for his dedication in solving the 2003 death of Wells. Wells was reported as a missing person in June of 2003 when his body was found days later behind Trig's in the Wisconsin River. The lack of evidence made a hole in the case ruling Wells death as accidental. The case was reopened in 2014 shortly after Detective Chiamulera joined the Rhinelander Police Department and other evidence surfaced. Mayor Dick Johns says cracking the Wells case has built trust for the Rhinelander community.
“…when you take a case that’s that old in a small community like this and someone comes in and says ‘I’m going to take a look at that’ and get it, it’s something to be proud of, and this department has really worked well for the city of Rhinelander, they’ve come a long way.”
Johns awarded Chiamulera a plaque for his dedication.
Shannon Wolf was sentenced in January to 19 years in prison with 11 years of supervision for the death of Wells. Latoya Wolf was sentenced in November to 12 years in prison with 13 years of supervision.
