"The cuts at each joint are deliberate, methodical, like this is the work of someone who knew what they were doing." — Britt
"He chuckled and told them something like, if I had, you never would have found her." — Ashley Flowers (quoting Stephanie's father)
"He basically like dropped his mower, because it sounded like this case to him." — Ashley Flowers (describing Lieutenant Van Sock's reaction to a podcast mention)
This episode of Crime Junkies delves into the unsolved murder of 18-year-old Stephanie Kasberg, whose dismembered remains were discovered in Racine County, Wisconsin, in July 1969. The initial discovery by a young boy revealed a gruesome scene, with parts of her body wrapped in newspaper and scattered along the riverbank, missing her torso and one leg. Investigators pieced together early clues, including a Milwaukee Sentinel newspaper dated June 24th, cigarette butts, a brown leather shoe, and a burned military-style jacket. The pathologist determined the dismemberment occurred post-mortem, with precise, scalpel-like cuts suggesting a methodical killer.
The investigation explored numerous leads and suspects over the years. Initial suspicions pointed towards Stephanie's boyfriend, John, or even her father, Charles Casper, fueled by rumors and his unusual response to investigators. The restaurant where Stephanie worked, Mark's Big Boy, became a focal point, with several employees, including a manager and a cook named Michael Bartelt, coming under scrutiny. Bartelt's shifting alibi and planned departure to Hawaii raised red flags, though he was eventually cleared by early DNA testing. Other potential suspects included a 17-year-old busboy linked to a string of assaults and a seemingly manipulative 18-year-old who tipped off police about himself. The discovery of a sun-kissed box containing more of Stephanie's remains weeks later indicated a second disposal site and further suggested the killer's familiarity with the area.
In 1988, Stephanie's sister, Pam, provided a significant tip, accusing her brother, Michael Bartelt, of the murder and detailing his deceptive behavior, including a fabricated trip to Hawaii. This led to a re-examination of Bartelt's movements and an eventual DNA comparison, which ultimately excluded him from the pubic hair found at the scene. The investigation later focused on Wilbert Mackie, a man with a history of child sex offenses who lived near one of the disposal sites. His daughter alleged he confessed to being the "Root River Killer" and forced her to help dispose of the body, but DNA evidence from his son did not match. More recently, a lead emerged from a Crime Junkies episode about another dismembered victim, Kristen David, prompting an FBI investigation into a military suspect with Midwest ties. While this suspect remains alive and under investigation, leading to significant efforts by Lieutenant Brian Fansock, the case remains officially unsolved, with the current theory leaning towards a stranger abduction.