Shraman Mitra
The city of Milwaukee in Wisconsin was left shocked when 21-year-old Beth Buege was found murdered in June 1990. Although Beth was found slumped over in her car, the investigation soon revealed that she was murdered elsewhere. Investigation Discovery’s ‘On The Case With Paula Zahn: FLRT12’ chronicles Beth’s death and shows how the ensuing police investigation was met with dead ends at every turn. Let’s dive into the details of this case and find out more, shall we?
How Did Beth Buege Die?
Beth Buege was a 21-year-old young woman who resided with her family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Although the show states that she was an adopted child, Beth was pretty close to her loved ones and shared a special bond with her brother. She earned a living by selling jewelry at a city store and was also in a relationship with one of her co-workers. Described as a lively and down-to-earth person, Beth is missed terribly to this very day.
On the morning of June 3, 1990, a local resident spotted a red 1985 Plymouth Laser at 4943 N. 49th Street in Milwaukee. Upon closer inspection, the person saw a woman slumped inside, although she did not seem to be moving. Moreover, the car even had a customized license plate that read FLRT12. As the woman appeared to be in need of help, the resident opened the car door before realizing she was deceased. He immediately called 911, and first responders rushed to the scene.
Once the police were on the scene, they found Beth sitting in the passenger’s seat of the car. Her body was slumped over the dashboard, and an autopsy later determined that the victim was strangled to death. Moreover, apart from specific asphyxiation marks, medical examiners also found fingernail impressions on her neck, indicating that Beth had fought valiantly for her life before being murdered. While the death was immediately ruled to be a homicide, the police were confident that the victim was murdered elsewhere before being dumped inside her car.
Who Killed Beth Buege?
Unfortunately, the initial investigation into Beth Buege’s murder was relatively slow as the crime scene did not yield many clues or leads. On the other hand, most of Beth’s acquaintances stated how she was extremely amicable and did not have a lot of enemies. Still, the police stuck to their questioning, and the investigation revealed Beth’s relationship with her co-worker. When the victim’s family was questioned, they mentioned that although Beth was at work on the day of her murder, she had clocked out and decided to go to her boyfriend’s house to watch a movie before retiring for the night.
Accordingly, Beth’s boyfriend was affirmed to be the last person who saw the victim alive. As per the show, the police considered him a person of interest. On the other hand, CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts revealed that a mystery man drove the red 1985 Plymouth Laser to Milwaukee’s 4943 N. 49th Street on the night before Beth’s body was discovered. The show also mentioned an eyewitness saw the car being driven with Beth, already deceased, slumped over in the passenger’s seat.
Although the man was described as someone well built with spectacles on, the police were never able to close down on a suspect with such features. Regardless, considering that Beth’s boyfriend was the last to see her alive, the police decided to pay him a visit. However, both Beth’s boyfriend and his mother denied having anything to do with the murder. They insisted on their innocence, and the boyfriend even refused to answer further questions without an attorney present.
While the victim’s family found it quite strange how Beth’s boyfriend chose to not attend her funeral or offer condolences, the police have since eliminated him as a suspect. Unfortunately, with no further leads, Beth’s murder remains unsolved, although the police insist on it being an active investigation. In a heartbreaking turn of events, both of Beth’s parents passed away since the murder, but her brother believes that it is his duty to keep fighting until justice is served.
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