Man convicted in 1983 killing charged with hiding the corpse

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CHILTON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man is charged with recently hiding the corpse of a man he was convicted of killing in the early 1980s.

John Andrews, 82, of Chilton, was arrested Friday and booked into jail. Andrews pleaded guilty in 1994 to homicide by negligent use of a motor vehicle in the death of 67-year-old Starkie Swenson, who went missing in 1983. Swenson’s body was found last September by two people hiking in High Cliff State Park.

Prosecutors say Swenson and Andrews were involved in a love triangle and that Andrews ran over Swenson. Andrews was sentenced to two years in prison.

The statute of limitations for hiding a corpse in Wisconsin is six years. Prosecutors say the offense occurred between June 7, 2021, and Sept. 28, 2021.

Investigators begin questioning Andrews about the location of Swenson’s remains on June 7, while anthropology students at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh unsuccessfully assisted in a search for the remains near Omro, about 30 miles away from where the body was found.

Andrews admitted to seeing photos of Swenson but told investigators he never spoke to nor saw Swenson in person and didn’t know Swenson’s whereabouts.

Andrews faces more than 12 years in prison if convicted. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 6.

Court documents do not list an attorney for Andrews.