LITTLE CHUTE (NBC 26) — Exactly one year ago, Gene Meyer was convicted in a decades-old cold case murder of Betty Rolf, a Little Chute woman killed more than 30 years ago.
The case broke new ground for investigators— reopened through DNA technology.
We're taking a closer look at how Betty’s story is rewriting the playbook for solving cold cases.
Mindy Tempelis, Outagamie County District Attorney:
"One of the biggest takeaways for us was just how important the team is and how much bigger that team needs to be in these cases," says Outagamie County District Attorney Mindy Tempelis, who worked closely on the case.
Solving Betty Rolf’s case meant going back in time. Prosecutors had to dive through boxes of old evidence, reconnect with a changed community… and rebuild faded memories.
It took forensics, outside experts, and even help from the FBI to make a 1988 crime make sense to a 2024 jury.
"That teamwork is really so critical in making sure that you have both a successful investigation and a successful prosecution," said Tempelis.
In the end, they got it. Gene Meyer was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
But beyond justice for Betty, her case gave investigators something bigger: a blueprint.
"Hopefully, what our experience was, other investigators can take those lessons to help improve investigations and cases that they’re looking at, and hopefully ensure successful prosecutions," added District Attorney Tempelis.
At the Wisconsin Association of Homicide Investigators convention in Kohler this April, Betty Rolf’s case took center stage, setting a new standard for solving cold cases. Outagamie County District Attorney Mindy Tempelis and her team shared their investigative strategy with hundreds of fellow investigators. The biggest takeaway?
"Finding an investigator who is tenacious and willing to try something new. This isn’t, you know, the normal way you investigate cases."Now that the investigative playbook is evolving even faster, with the help of AI.
"We’re able to take and ingest hundreds of hours of video and search across that for guns, specific people. Instead of signing into multiple sources," said a representative from Vertione, a private company using AI technology that can:
- Break down hours of interviews and video
- Flag keywords, faces, and objects
- Translate languages
- Even detect vocal tone and emotion
"You could import all that data and search for exactly what you’re looking for," he added.
It’s a game changer, especially now, when detectives face not just paper files but terabytes of digital evidence from bodycams, social media, and security footage.
What used to take years can now move faster.
And bring answers to families still waiting for justice.
"We want to create opportunities for other jurisdictions to be able to solve these cases, for the victims in their community who are left with no answers," Templis said.
"And if we can inspire other investigators and prosecutors in cases that they go back and evaluate, that would be amazing. And if it can achieve justice — that’s why we’re here."
AI is being used in Wisconsin courts — but on a limited basis.
The State Supreme Court has created a committee to explore how it could be used in the future.
