St. Cloud Police Arrest Suspect in 1991 Murder Cold Case

St. Cloud Police have arrested 72-year-old Gene Stuller in connection with the 1991 murder of Julia Sue Wilbanks, bringing closure to a case that had been unsolved for over three decades. Wilbanks was found dead with multiple stab wounds near Neptune Road in St. Cloud, and initial investigations, including interviews and DNA analysis, failed to identify a suspect. Recent advancements in DNA technology allowed investigators to resubmit evidence from the crime scene to national and public databases, ultimately identifying Stuller as the suspect in March 2025. Detectives confirmed the DNA match using a discarded straw from Stuller, leading to his arrest and charges of second-degree murder and disturbing a dead body. Police Chief Douglas Goerke emphasized the importance of scientific progress in solving cold cases and reaffirmed the department’s commitment to seeking justice for victims and their families. This breakthrough demonstrates how modern forensic methods can resolve cases that once seemed unsolvable.