‘Fond du Lac was always a nice town’: Neighbors stunned as police investigate body behind a home

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WBAY) - Just before 1 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said the City of Fond du Lac Police Department and City of Fond du Lac Fire/Rescue responded to the 500-block of West Scott Street for a report of a person who was doing yard work and came across a body in a wooded area behind a residence.

Police feel the discovery is suspicious, and they still have questions in this ongoing investigation. The Fond du Lac County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy Wednesday, which detectives hope will shed more light on the cause and manner of death.

Neighbors who live a yard away, like Ronnie Barton, can’t believe it.

“Now it makes me wonder what’s gonna happen next around here,” he said.

The perimeter is wrapped with crime scene tape, and detectives combed the area for clues. While they consider the death suspicious, police aren’t saying how the person died, whether it was a male or female, or anything else about the identity.

“Detectives were called out right away to start investigating it,” Lt. Michael Gales said. “At this point what we’re doing is waiting for the autopsy results.”

Police were on the scene for about five-and-a-half hours. During that time, we saw families passing on bicycles and pushing baby strollers.

“The kids walk through here to go to school, you know, down at Parkside,” neighbor Phyllis Boehlert said.

Boehlert says it’s usually much quieter around here, but she isn’t surprised.

“I just think these poor cops in town, I don’t know what they think because the place will be falling apart. You know, Fond du Lac was always a nice town,” Boehlert said.

“Just know that the police are out there, we are investigating, we have patrol out, and detectives are hard at work,” Lt. Gales said.

If you have information related to this incident or believe you may have information, please contact Detective Vance Henning at (920) 322-3725 or email vhenning@fdl.wi.gov. You can also call the Crime Alert line at (920) 322-3740; callers can request to remain anonymous.

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