Man Charged with 1985 Murder of Student

Michael Raymond Popp, a 60-year-old man from Tomah, Wisconsin, has been charged with first-degree murder in the decapitation of 24-year-old college student Terry Dolowy, nearly 40 years after her death. Dolowy was reported missing on February 14, 1985, and her body was discovered days later in a roadside culvert, showing signs of being burned, with her head never recovered. Prosecutors allege that Popp, who lived nearby and knew Dolowy, initially characterized her as a casual acquaintance, but later admitted to a brief affair when confronted with DNA evidence linking him to the case. In 2023, DNA samples from Popp matched evidence collected during Dolowy's autopsy. He is currently being held on a $1 million cash bail and has not yet secured legal representation. If convicted, Popp faces a life sentence in prison.