Luann Beckman -Help Solve A Murder in Phelps WI

Luann Beckman was found brutally strangled by a ligature and asphyxiated alongside the snowmobile trail in Phelps Wisconsin in May of 2016,  6 years ago, and the crime has yet to be solved. The reason for this Go Fund Me page is to try and raise some money to put up as a reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who murdered Luann. Phelps Wisconsin is a small, financially depressed town of approximately 1,000 people where everyone basically knows everyone and since there is only a handful of possible suspects, someone knows something but isn't talking or coming forward with information. It is unconscionable that a woman who was known and liked in the town, could go out for an innocent bike ride and not only be murdered for no apparent reason but for this case to go cold as well. The hope is that if there is a high enough reward offered for information leading to the identity and conviction of the perpetrator(s) of this crime, someone will finally do the right thing and come forward with the information necessary for the police to finish putting the pieces together to solve this crime.

 

There are many positive aspects in regards to the possibility of this case being solved and that includes a 911 call Luann made that night, although the call was dropped and she wasn't found until a couple of days later.  The police also have evidence that was collected from numerous sources and at the crime scene including some DNA.  They state that it is degraded due to Luann being left in the elements (outside)  before she was discovered by a grandfather and granddaughter who had gone for a walk...a traumatizing walk no doubt. There has been minimal communication between the police and the family over the years and little collaboration as the sheriff's department states that the case is still open and they continue to investigate every lead, and rumor and wait for DNA technology to become more advanced. 

I became interested in this case after seeing a poster in a tavern in Phelps while snowmobiling asking for information about Luann's murder, noticing it had been 5 years since her murder, and seeing that sad, pitiful look on her face in the picture on the poster, I felt compelled to do something.  Luann's case had obviously fallen through the cracks and as a person who had fallen through the legal cracks as well at one time yet finally found justice, it stirred something in my soul to try and help move this case along. As a result, I began a novice in-depth investigation into this case myself and after investing over 100 hours into this case, I feel that there are only a handful of people who could have done this. It was at that point I began trying to collaborate with the sheriff's department by sharing all of the information I gathered and we continue to share information although they really can't answer back. There are many unanswered questions and oddities surrounding this whole case starting at the very beginning from the 911 call to what the police have discovered and done so far. It's time that the pieces of this criminal puzzle are put into place and hopefully, that will happen as her elderly mother, children and other family members deserve and need justice and the clock is ticking.
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The hope and prayer is that if there is a significant reward offered, someone's lips might loosen since it is such a poor community and the information necessary to identify who did this will finally be revealed. In all transparency, some of the money might be used for DNA testing and genotype testing if the police will allow it yet can't fund it as that DNA, degraded as it may be, might be the key to cracking this case. If there is no conclusion to this case, the money raised will be donated to organizations and charities that work towards solving cold cases such as Luann's as well as programs that assist and support women's issues.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you donated or even said a prayer, it is greatly appreciated as Luann and her family have waited for justice long enough.