Anastasia Nicolazzi

How long is too long to wait for justice? Four months? Four years? Four decades? For victims' families, balancing the demand for accountability and the deeper need for healing can be a long and traumatic process.

How long is too long to wait for justice? Four months? Four years? Four decades? For victims' families, balancing the demand for accountability and the deeper need for healing can be a long and traumatic process.

When is it okay to stop searching for someone's killer? Our answer is never, but sadly, it's a question many survivors have to ask. And their answer is personal and unique to each family or individual.

When is it okay to stop searching for someone's killer? Our answer is never, but sadly, it's a question many survivors have to ask. And their answer is personal and unique to each family or individual.

In 2020, Holly Wood-Webster was a new prosecutor suddenly thrust into a very old homicide investigation, the 1985 murder of Yvonne Menke in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

In 2020, Holly Wood-Webster was a new prosecutor suddenly thrust into a very old homicide investigation, the 1985 murder of Yvonne Menke in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin.

Yvonne was a kind, quintessentially salt-of-the-earth Midwesterner, known for her warm personality and dedication to her children, even when that meant working long hours at multiple jobs just to keep food on the table.

Yvonne was a kind, quintessentially salt-of-the-earth Midwesterner, known for her warm personality and dedication to her children, even when that meant working long hours at multiple jobs just to keep food on the table.

She was up early for work. It was December 12, 1985, which, being winter in Wisconsin, was a typically frigid morning.

She was up early for work. It was December 12, 1985, which, being winter in Wisconsin, was a typically frigid morning.

Yvonne headed out the door of her apartment and down the enclosed exterior stairwell up the building, which led directly to the parking lot on the ground floor.

Yvonne headed out the door of her apartment and down the enclosed exterior stairwell up the building, which led directly to the parking lot on the ground floor.

Julie struggled to make out a description of the person who appeared to be fleeing the scene. But there was no mistaking the overwhelming sense of menace and dread.

Julie struggled to make out a description of the person who appeared to be fleeing the scene. But there was no mistaking the overwhelming sense of menace and dread.

Yvonne's injuries were so grave that she was actually lying in a pool of her own blood. She appeared to have suffered severe traumatic injuries to her head.

Yvonne's injuries were so grave that she was actually lying in a pool of her own blood. She appeared to have suffered severe traumatic injuries to her head.

Investigators at the scene noted that Yvonne's purse, car keys, and car all remained untouched, suggesting the motive for the attack was not a robbery.

Investigators at the scene noted that Yvonne's purse, car keys, and car all remained untouched, suggesting the motive for the attack was not a robbery.

It suggested that the shooter was not behind Yvonne, but lying in wait at the bottom of the stairs. In other words, this was no chance encounter. This was an ambush.

It suggested that the shooter was not behind Yvonne, but lying in wait at the bottom of the stairs. In other words, this was no chance encounter. This was an ambush.