Former Professional ‘Silly’ Clown Ronald Schroeder Charged in 30-Year-Old Cold Case Killing of Daughter

A person recognized for his work as “Foolish the Clown” in southeast Wisconsin has been charged with the homicide of his new child daughter 30 years in the past. Ronald Schroeder, 52, was taken into custody this week and charged with first-degree reckless murder and two counts of bodily abuse of a kid for the dying of child Catherine Schroeder in August 1991.

The toddler, not but two months outdated at the moment, was rushed to a hospital with what docs decided to be shaken child syndrome. In keeping with native media studies, she suffered fractured ribs, contusions to her mind and sufficient power to trigger indifferent retinas, leading to “blood behind the eyes.”

Simply hours earlier than docs documented all of those accidents and pronounced the child woman useless, Schroeder had taken the stage at an area restaurant and carried out as “Foolish the Clown” for a room filled with elementary college youngsters, in response to a profile by Milwaukee magazine. He was mentioned to have been adored by audiences for his balloon sculptures and high-pitched clown voice, and was even praised by the then-director of the Worldwide Clown Corridor of Fame for being “at all times humorous” and “at all times courteous.”

Behind the scenes, nevertheless, he had repeatedly been accused of abusive habits by the household of Catherine’s mom, Christine. He has denied these allegations and has denied hurting the child.

The previous clown went three many years with out going through any punishment for his child’s dying. Prosecutors cited inadequate proof on the time, and Schroeder continued to carry out as Foolish for younger youngsters for a number of years. In the meantime, investigators have been unable to shake their suspicions about Schroeder’s involvement in Catherine’s dying, they usually reopened the case in 1998 solely to as soon as once more run into a scarcity of proof, Greenfield Police officer Mike Brunner advised Milwaukee journal on the time.

It was not instantly clear what new proof, if any, led to prosecutors lastly charging Schroeder this week.

The brand new fees come after a review of the unique post-mortem was carried out in June 2021, with the Milwaukee County medical expert concluding that “Catherine Schroeder died on account of blunt power trauma to the pinnacle,” in response to the prison grievance towards Schroeder. The medical expert deemed the style of dying to be murder.

Courtroom data in Milwaukee County present an arrest warrant was issued for Schroeder on Wednesday and an preliminary court docket look through video hyperlink was held on Thursday. A decide shot down an try by his protection to have the case dismissed because of the statute of limitations, and bond was set at $350,000.

Schroeder was convicted of sexual assault in 2008 and was launched from jail solely in 2013. In that case, he sexually assaulted a girlfriend whereas she was unconscious and took images of the assault.

After his launch from jail, police despatched out a bulletin warning residents of Waukesha that the person beforehand generally known as “Foolish the Clown”—now a convicted intercourse offender—can be transferring into the neighborhood. Residents have been assured that he wouldn’t be allowed in bars or round youngsters with out supervision and that he can be tracked by a GPS monitor.