Murder of Peggy Johnson

Johnson's body was discovered in the first rows of a cornfield on July 21, 1999, by a father and daughter walking their dogs along 92nd Street in Raymond, Wisconsin. Her death had occurred within one day before discovery of her body. Johnson's injuries were apparent and her right arm was bent "unnaturally" behind her. A witness stated the body was not at the location the day before. Based on marks on her body, she appeared to have been dragged 25 feet from the roadside. She wore a gray man's shirt with a floral design on the front. The shirt's manufacturer divulged that this type of shirt was first sold in 1984. She was also wearing black sweatpants. No additional clothing was found, including footwear. ==Examination==

During the autopsy, multiple injuries were observed across her body, and it was determined she endured several weeks of neglect and long-term physical abuse. She was malnourished and suffered from an untreated infection in her left elbow. Potential chemical burns were identified on 25% of her body and road rash was also observed. Her nose was broken, as were several of her ribs, although some of the latter injuries occurred after death. A "cauliflower ear" deformity may have been caused by the recent increase of abuse she suffered, either from beating or being pulled. Sharp-force trauma was also evident on the same ear. Additionally, the examination suggested she may have had a cognitive disability. It was believed that she was most likely 18 to 35 years old. Her front incisors protruded from her mouth, and decay was present on many teeth, some of which were missing. Her curly hair was reddish-brown, collar-length, and appeared to have blond highlights. Johnson's eye color was difficult to discern, but listed as brown, green, or hazel. There were two earrings in each of her ears. Additionally, there was evidence she may have worn glasses, despite their absence from the crime scene. ==Investigation==

of the victim by Carl Koppelman, based upon morgue photographs. Over 50 people attended Johnson's funeral on October 27, 1999, after the autopsy and other examinations were completed. She was interred at Holy Family Cemetery in Caledonia, Wisconsin. Multiple reconstructions were created of her face to assist with visual identification of the body. Another version of this facial composite exists, which depicts a differing facial rendition of how she may have appeared in life. Some believed that this case could be linked to the murder of Mary Kate Chamizo (née Sunderlin), a previously unidentified victim who was discovered in Lake County, Illinois. Chamizo was also found malnourished, had poor dentition and had been beaten to death. Three were arrested in that case; one was convicted. All three were later cleared due to new evidence. Her remains were exhumed on October 16, 2013, for further study and transported to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where her body had previously been examined in 1999. Authorities hoped that by studying the isotopic makeup of her bones, they would be able to tell where she had lived prior to her death. Authorities stated they had indeed uncovered new leads from the exhumation, but they declined to state any details. On October 20, 2016, it was announced that chemical isotope testing performed by the Smithsonian on a sample of her hair and bone suggested she was potentially from or spent several years of her life in Alaska, Montana or portions of southern Canada. Authorities did not comment on what testing the results were from, whether recent with hair or history from bone. The police department planned on seeking forensic genetic genealogy organizations to identify potential relatives of the victim. == Identification and arrest of Linda La Roche==

, after her arrest. On November 7, 2019, the Racine County Sheriff's Office announced that Sheriff Christopher Schmaling would hold a media briefing the following day to release information about Jane Doe's identity and the name of the individual in custody for her death. The announcement stated that "both the victim and the individual in custody have substantial ties to a northwestern Chicago suburb." On November 8, 2019, Racine County authorities identified the victim through DNA comparison as Peggy Lynn Johnson, 23, of McHenry, Illinois. Her accused killer was identified as a 63-year-old nurse, Linda Sue La Roche. La Roche owned her own nursing practice, established in 1997, which provided health care to at least two Illinois correctional facilities, without displaying any questionable or inadequate behavior. Johnson was never reported missing to police, although an aunt placed a personal ad in a December 1999 issue of Northwest Herald requesting Johnson contact her. La Roche was arrested on November 5, 2019, in Cape Coral, Florida, where she resided since 2013. At the time she was charged with murdering Peggy Johnson, she was facing legal proceedings after causing a vehicle accident while intoxicated. Instances of La Roche's abuse toward Johnson were confirmed by her children, one of which the victim confided in after being asked about a bruise to the face. == Legal proceedings ==

La Roche first appeared in court on January 9, 2020, for a preliminary hearing which was adjourned due to the fact that La Roche did not have an attorney. Her trial was initially set for February 2020, but was postponed until April 2021 due to lack of attorney, and then indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trial commenced in March 2022. On March 16, 2022, La Roche was found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide of Johnson and hiding her corpse. She was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. ==See also==