Findagrave: Lisa French
Nine-year-old Lisa French, dressed as a hobo, left her Wisconsin home on the evening of October 31, 1973, to go trick-or-treating by herself. Sadly, she never returned. The working-class community of Fond du Lac immediately mobilized, with over 5,000 volunteers, including law enforcement and National Guard helicopters, searching for the missing fourth-grade student.
After two days, a farmer discovered Lisa’s nude body in a plastic garbage bag in Taycheedah. She had been asphyxiated and sexually assaulted. Lisa was known as a kind person who helped others, as her mother, Maryann Gehring, recalled how she had once donated clothes to a less fortunate classmate.
It took nine months for police to arrest the perpetrator, 25-year-old Gerald Turner, who confessed to the rape and murder. Turner, dubbed the Halloween Killer, showed a lack of remorse and disregard for others during his trial. He was convicted of second-degree murder and rape and sentenced to 38 years in prison in 1975.
Released in 1992 after serving 17 years, Turner returned to prison the same year due to a technicality. He was released again but violated parole in 2003 for possessing pornographic images. Efforts were made to classify Turner as a sexually violent offender, with a hearing scheduled for July 2025.
Turner, now 75, is currently housed in a supervised living facility in Mauston, as per the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry.
The general’s office was unavailable for comment. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, please reach out to the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org. For more information, read the original article on People magazine.
