“I Think They Finally Killed Him”: How a Wisconsin Cold Case Unraveled a Family’s Deadly Secret

In the quiet, suburban landscape of Elko New Market, Minnesota, the summer of 2013 was marked by a sudden, unexplained absence. Gary Herbst, a man known to his neighbors for a confrontational personality and a quick temper, had seemingly vanished. While his wife and teenage son claimed he had simply walked out on them after an argument, those living next door harbored a much darker suspicion—one that would take seven years and a gruesome discovery to prove true.

A Neighborhood on Edge

To the residents of his cul-de-sac, Gary Herbst was a difficult man. Neighbors Connie and Art Rohe described a tense atmosphere whenever Gary was around. However, the tension shifted to confusion on July 8, 2013, when Gary disappeared. His wife, Connie Herbst, told friends and authorities that Gary had packed a bag, taken $5,000, and left following a domestic dispute.

While the story seemed plausible to some, the Rohes noticed “unusual activity” that didn’t align with a man simply moving out. They witnessed Connie and her son, Austin, then only 17, scrubbing the garage floor with bleach in the middle of the night. Most chillingly, Art Rohe recalled seeing the mother and son struggling to load a heavy, rolled-up rug into the back of their vehicle. It was at that moment Art turned to his wife and uttered the prophetic words: “I think they finally killed him.”

The Discovery in the Woods

For nearly four years, the case remained cold. Gary was a missing person, and life in the Herbst household appeared to move on. That changed in 2017 in Barron County, Wisconsin—nearly 90 miles away from the Herbst home. A dog wandering through a wooded area returned to its owner carrying a human skull.

Barron County authorities launched an intensive search, recovering more remains, but the identity of the “John Doe” remained a mystery. The skull bore a clear, singular bullet hole to the back of the head, turning a missing person inquiry into a definitive homicide investigation. It wasn’t until 2020, through the use of investigative genetic genealogy, that the remains were positively identified as Gary Herbst.

A Son’s Confession and a Mother’s Role

With the identification confirmed, investigators focused their attention back on the family Gary had supposedly “abandoned.” The evidence began to mount. Search warrants executed at the former Herbst residence revealed biological traces of blood beneath the floorboards of the master bedroom, despite years of cleaning and new carpeting.

Under questioning, the facade finally crumbled. Austin Herbst, now an adult, eventually confessed to investigators. He claimed that his father had been physically and emotionally abusive toward his mother for years. Austin stated that on the night of the murder, he saw his father hovering over his mother’s bed in a threatening manner. Defending his mother, Austin grabbed a .22 caliber pistol and shot his father in the head while he slept.

Prosecutors, however, painted a more calculated picture. They argued that regardless of the history of domestic strife, the pair had conspired to execute Gary and meticulously cover up the crime, lying to neighbors, police, and extended family for years to maintain their freedom.

Justice Served

The legal fallout was swift following the 2020 identification. Connie Herbst was charged with second-degree murder. In 2021, she was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for her role in the cover-up and the death. Austin Herbst, who cooperated with authorities after his initial arrest, pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder and was sentenced to 12.5 years as well.

Conclusion

The case of Gary Herbst serves as a grim reminder that behind the closed doors of suburban normalcy, violent tragedies can remain hidden for years. While the Rohe family lived with their suspicions for nearly a decade, it was a combination of forensic science and the persistent work of Wisconsin and Minnesota authorities that finally brought the truth to light. The “confrontational neighbor” hadn’t walked away from his life; he had been discarded by the very family who claimed he had left them behind.