FOND du LAC, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – A man accused of first degree Homicide in a 1995 disappearance had his initial appearance in court this afternoon.
Jerome Baier was given a 1 million dollar cash bond. He must surrender his passport and is prohibited from possessing any firearms and ammunition. Baier cannot leave the State of Wisconsin without court approval and must have no contact with the victim’s family or any witness listed in the criminal complaint.
Baier was arrested early Friday morning at a rural address near Spencer on a charge of first-degree intentional homicide, in connection to the disappearance of James “Jim” Ruland in 1995 . Baier was Ruland’s roommate at the time of his disappearance, according to a press release from the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office.
Ruland was last seen on Oct. 24, 1995. A witness reported they may have seen him hitchhiking in North Fond du Lac on Oct. 26, 1995. He was 40 years old at the time and was living at an address in the Town of Ripon.
Following his disappearance, Ruland’s vehicle was later located at the Stretch Truck Stop in North Fond du Lac. He has not been seen since.
Over the past 31 years, law enforcement conducted extensive efforts to locate Ruland. Evidence uncovered during the investigation shifted the case from a missing person inquiry to a homicide investigation.
Search efforts to locate his remains have included human remains detection K9s, ground-penetrating radar, aerial searches, large-scale excavations of potential burial sites, public safety divers searching waterways and detectives searching a pig farm manure pit. Although Ruland’s remains have not been recovered, the sustained investigation developed sufficient probable cause to support an arrest.
In 2021, advances in forensic testing technology led detectives to request additional testing of evidence previously submitted to the Wisconsin State Crime Lab. Those results helped corroborate information gathered through interviews and other evidence analysis.Baier’s next appearance is on September 30, 2026 for a status hearing.
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