Who is Mary Bailey? Murder of Yvonne Menke in 1985 in Wisconsin finally solved

This report will shed light on Mary Bailey in connection with the murder of Yvonne Menke in 1985 in Wisconsin, which has now been solved.

Who is Mary Bailey?

Mary Bailey has been identified by authorities in Wisconsin as the suspect who killed Yvonne Menke in an apparent love triangle gone wrong.

Mary Bailey murder case unravelled

Mary Josephine Bailey, an 80-year-old resident of Apache Junction, Arizona, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the killing of Menke, a 45-year-old individual, almost four decades ago. The incident took place on December 12, 1985, at an apartment complex in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Bailey was apprehended on Monday in Maricopa County, Arizona, and is currently awaiting extradition to Wisconsin. According to the details provided in the criminal complaint, Menke was shot three times with a .22 caliber weapon while descending the stairs of her apartment building.

This occurred at approximately 6:20 a.m., as she was preparing to warm up her vehicle before heading to work. Although one of Menke’s daughters witnessed an individual leaving the scene following the shooting, their identity remains unknown.

Investigations revealed that the man Menke was romantically involved with, Jack Owen (now deceased), had a tendency to be unfaithful and was simultaneously involved with another woman named Mary Jo Lunsmann, who is now known as Mary Jo Bailey. The criminal complaint suggests that the three individuals were entangled in a complex “love triangle.”

“Law enforcement learned that for several years leading up [to] the Yvonne Menke homicide, Jack Owen often dated Yvonne Menke and Mary Jo (Lunsmann) Bailey at the same time. There were times when Jack Owen and Yvonne Menke and Jack Owen and Mary Jo (Lunsmann) Bailey would break up, but they always seemed to rekindle their relationship(s). For that reason, many witnesses close to Yvonne Menke suggested that Mary Jo (Lunsmann) Bailey was responsible for killing Yvonne Menke,” the criminal complaint states. 

According to charges, multiple witnesses have informed authorities that Owen was involved in a relationship with both Menke and Bailey simultaneously. One witness, who was acquainted with Menke and Owen, revealed that Bailey expressed her disapproval of other women being around when she was with Owen. Additionally, a witness expressed their belief that Bailey had the capability to harm Menke, as they suspected she was upset with Owen for not inviting her to his birthday party the night before Menke’s tragic demise. This same witness speculated that the motive behind Menke’s murder was to eliminate competition. Furthermore, witnesses have stated that Bailey possessed knowledge of handling firearms and owned a .22 pistol, which she would use to shoot dogs that approached her horses. However, it is worth noting that some witnesses denied Bailey’s proficiency in using guns.

Mary Bailey murder case: How authorities solved the case

According to the complaint, Owen and Bailey were interviewed by authorities on December 13, 1985. They revealed that their relationship was centered around their shared interest in Morgan horses and horse shows. When asked about Menke, Bailey stated that she knew who she was but had never met her in person, although they had spoken on the phone three years prior regarding Owen’s behavior.

Charges state that on December 13, 1985, authorities confiscated Bailey’s boots, which matched the boot prints found at the scene of Menke’s murder. Bailey was interviewed again on December 20, 1985, during which she provided details about her activities the week of December 8, 1985. She claimed to have taken a vacation day on December 12, 1985, and learned of Menke’s death from a friend around 9 a.m. She then went to Luck, Wisconsin, to pick up an order of fish before going shopping in Rice Lake and returning home by 5 p.m.

Officers informed Mary Jo that they had evidence of her presence at Menke’s apartment building on December 12, 1985, but she denied being there. Phone records showed that there were long-distance calls between Bailey and Menke’s phones, including one about a month before Menke’s murder.

In late 2021-2022, authorities reopened the investigation and re-interviewed witnesses with knowledge of Owen, Bailey, and Menke. Bailey was interviewed again on September 21, 2022, during which she claimed to have been friends with Owen at the time of Menke’s murder and that Owen had multiple girlfriends. She did not recall ever meeting Menke.

During the interview, investigators noted that Bailey was evasive and uncooperative with their questions. Authorities interviewed Bailey again on January 16, 2023, and informed her that charges could be filed against her in connection with Menke’s murder. Bailey did not respond and showed no emotion.

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