A dog roaming a rural property in Wisconsin dragged home a skull in 2017, setting off a chain of events that finally exposed what happened to a Minnesota man who had seemingly vanished into thin air. Gary Herbst disappeared in July 2013, and investigators now say his body was rolled up in a rug, dumped in the woods, and left there for years, unreported, until modern genetic genealogy and some sharp-eyed neighbors helped crack the case.
As reported by CBS News, Barron County detectives eventually traced the remains back to Connie and Austin Herbst, tracking them to the retirement community where they worked after the bones were linked to their family. CBS News detailed how investigators were struck by how calm the pair seemed. The outlet also reported that Connie only filed a missing-person report after relatives pushed her to do it, and that she later told an agent, "because he left on his own, I said I didn't think I had to." The lingering question for detectives and family members was simple and unsettling: how could someone be gone that long with almost no one actively looking for him.
How the Remains Were Identified
On Dec. 3, 2017, a homeowner in Maple Grove Township in Barron County called deputies after his dog brought a skull back to the house. Deputies later recovered additional skeletal remains in the area, according to KSTP. Working with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, volunteer genealogists with the DNA Doe Project used genetic genealogy to confirm in June 2020 that the skeleton was that of Gary Albert Herbst. That identification effectively revived what had been a stalled missing-person case.
Arrests and Charges
Scott County detectives arrested Connie and Austin Herbst on Nov. 19, 2020, and charged them with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, according to FOX 9. Authorities said the Midwest Medical Examiner concluded that Gary Herbst died from a gunshot wound to the head and ruled the death a homicide. During a search of the family's former home in Elko New Market, investigators also reported finding signs of decomposition and blood.
Pleas and Sentences
Austin Herbst pleaded guilty in early 2021 to second-degree intentional murder, according to reporting by the Star Tribune. He was sentenced in June 2021 to 12 years and six months in prison. Connie Herbst later pleaded to a reduced charge and received a 27-month sentence with credit for time served, according to court records and reporting summarized by Law&Crime.
Why No One Was Looking
Family members and neighbors told investigators that Gary Herbst was a loner and could be volatile, details that may have made his disappearance easier for some to accept at first. Relatives still questioned why Connie waited so long to report him missing. Linda Dane told investigators she was surprised there was no early police report. Connie's explanation that she "didn't think I had to" was documented in interviews compiled by CBS News.
Neighbors also described seeing Connie and Austin scrubbing the basement and carrying what looked like a rolled-up carpet into a pickup truck, observations that later helped give detectives probable cause to push further into the case, according to KSTP.
Legal Context and Aftermath
Prosecutors told investigators that the facts did not meet the legal standard for self-defense, and both Connie and Austin ultimately pleaded guilty to felony counts that led to prison terms, as reported by Law&Crime. The case underscores how genetic genealogy and persistent detective work can revive long-dormant investigations and finally deliver answers to families who have been left waiting for years.
