Nearly 50 years after a Kenosha homicide went cold, police say they have made an arrest. Investigators report that Terry Fowler was taken into custody Monday in Memphis, Tennessee, and charged with first degree homicide in the 1977 killing of Ralph Ambrose Gianoli. Kenosha officials are set to lay out details of the case at a news conference Tuesday.
Gianoli was found dead in his home on 25th Avenue in September 1977, with early reports describing injuries that suggested a struggle. As noted by Kenosha County Eye, friends discovered his body, and family members stayed in touch with detectives even as leads dried up and the case went quiet for decades.
Investigation Revived
Kenosha detectives formally reopened the case file in October 2021 and sent evidence for reprocessing using modern laboratory methods. According to CBS News, investigators "used advanced evidence processing techniques" that produced a suspect identification in July 2024. That lead set off a new round of follow up work that ultimately culminated in this week’s arrest.
Arrest In Memphis
Kenosha police say Fowler was arrested in Memphis on Monday and has been charged with first degree homicide in Gianoli’s death. CBS News reports that a news conference on the arrest is scheduled for Tuesday. Officials have not yet released details on where Fowler is being held or when he might be transferred to Wisconsin.
What The Charge Means
First degree intentional homicide in Wisconsin is defined under Wis. Stat. § 940.01 and is a Class A felony that can carry a sentence of life imprisonment. Under the Wisconsin statutes, prosecutors must prove that the defendant intentionally caused another person’s death in order to sustain that charge.
What Comes Next
Local reporting indicates that Gianoli’s family members stayed engaged with investigators over the years and continued sharing information as detectives revisited the case. Kenosha police say they will brief the public at Tuesday’s news conference, where detectives and prosecutors are expected to take questions about how the suspect was identified and what the next steps in the case will be.
