WI CINDY JONES: Missing from Wausau, WI - 29 Jun 1984 - Age 27

[Romulus]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Cindy Jones was last seen on 6/29/1984 by a neighbor as she was involved in a violent domestic abuse incident with her husband Norman Jones. Cindy was bruised and bloody and screaming for help from inside her home. The neighbor contacted police who went to the residence and were told by her husband Norman Jones that Cindy had left the home out the back door. Police did not check the residence for Cindy. Norman Jones later confessed to a girlfriend that he had beaten and strangled Cindy and buried her body in a gravel pit at a jobsite in Park Falls or Medford, WI. Norman was charged with Cindy's murder in February of 1985. That charge was dismissed in May of 1985 as Investigators were not able to locate Cindy's remains. Norman fled the state after his release, murdered a female acquaintance in Florida in 1990, and then killed himself as Police closed in on him to make the arrest. Cindy's remains have never been located.

edited by staff to add media link

CINDY JONES has been missing from Wausau, #WISCONSIN since 29 Jun 1984 - Age 27

Cindy Jones was last seen on 6/29/1984 by a neighbor as she was involved in a violent domestic abuse incident with her husband Norman Jones. Cindy was bruised and bloody and screaming for help from inside her home. The neighbor contacted police...

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[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Forgotten Wisconsin: Cindy Jones - Buried Secrets

It all started with a 9-1-1 call. Norman and Cindy Jones lived in a quiet Wausau neighborhood on the city’s west side with their three kids who were four, seven, and eight at the time.

www.wsaw.com

Forgotten Wisconsin: Cindy Jones - Buried Secrets​

Take yourself back to June 1984. Ronald Reagan was our 40th president, “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper was all over the radio, Ghostbusters was setting records at the box office, and on June 29, Wausau police got a call about a domestic disturbance that would launch an investigation into a missing 27-year-old mother that has been unsolved for nearly 40 years.

It all started with a 9-1-1 call. Norman and Cindy Jones lived in a quiet Wausau neighborhood on the city’s west side with their three kids who were four, seven, and eight at the time.

Neighbors knew the Jones’ relationship was rocky and would later tell police it was abusive, but on Friday, June 29, 1984, it wasn’t just another argument — this fight was different — it was dangerous.

The caller said they saw Cindy bruised, bloody, and screaming for help. It’s likely the kids were home when the police showed up, but we will likely never know what they saw.

It is important to talk about this aspect right away, there are a lot of details missing in this case. The age of this case made it difficult to find answers. The original detectives who worked on the investigation are no longer with the Wausau Police Department.

So, to learn about Cindy’s disappearance, we spoke with Wausau Patrol Lieutenant Jennifer Holz who took over the case in 2019. As you can imagine in terms of technology, a lot has changed over 38 years, including how police keep their records.

“We don’t have any records dating back that far here at the department. So I had to actually reach out to the D.A.’s. office and get their copy of the criminal file associated with this case,” said Lt. Holz.

What she shared with us from 1984 was shocking, and honestly, pretty disturbing. After receiving that 9-1-1 call, officers arrived at Cindy and Norman’s home, and Norman had a story for them.

“So the unfortunate thing is, and again, this is 1984. The officers knocked on the door and never actually made an entry to the home. He met them at the door and said that she had left out the back door,” added Lt. Holz.

That was it.

Police took Norman at his word, ignored the 9-1-1 call, and left without searching the home for Cindy or any other signs that something bad may have happened.



Shortly after Cindy’s initial disappearance, a missing person’s report was filed, and the investigation began. Roughly three months later, officers went back and searched the home this time including the basement, but didn’t find anything. Norman stuck to his original story as well, saying Cindy left and he didn’t know where she was.

Fast forward to February 1985 and Wausau police get a huge break.

According to Lt. Holz, “Norman confessed to a new girlfriend, that he had killed Cindy, and that he had buried her at one of his job sites in Park Falls Medford area.”

Shortly after the confession, Norman was charged with first-degree intentional homicide in connection to Cindy’s death. We were able to dig through NewsChannel 7′s archives to find video of Norman in court in 1985.

Unfortunately, Cindy’s body was never found. The report said investigators searched areas in two cities, Park Falls and Medford. For anyone not familiar with central Wisconsin, there are about 60 miles between the two communities along Highway 13.


MUCH MORE AT LINK

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Forgotten: Wisconsin Cold Cases Podcast | a podcast by Kassandra Sepeda/WSAW

Every month, join WSAW’s Kassandra Sepeda as she takes a deeper, investigative look into the often forgotten cold cases and missing people in central Wisconsin.

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