Michigan man charged with killing wife in Wisconsin in 1975

STURGEON BAY, Wis. (AP) — A Michigan man has been charged with killing his wife more than four decades ago in Wisconsin, even though her body was never found.

Wisconsin agents arrested Richard Gale Pierce in his hometown of Cheboygan, Michigan on Thursday. A criminal complaint charges the 82-year-old Pierce with killing 35-year-old Carol Jean Pierce in Sturgeon Bay in September of 1975.

Richard Pierce has claimed his wife left him, but prosecutors allege he has told varying versions of his story to different people. Prosecutors say Richard Pierce had motive and opportunity to kill his wife, including monetary gains.

Pierce is charged with first-degree murder and disinterment of the dead. A cold case review team from the Wisconsin Association of Homicide Investigators began working on the case last month, resulting in the charges. It's not clear if Pierce has an attorney.

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