The remains of a man had been sitting in the Barron County Sheriff's Department since 1982, after they were found outside the village of Ridgeland which is south of Barron.

Almost 40 years ago in the woods in Barron County, loggers came across something they thought was strange.

"Back in 1982, we received a call from some loggers that had found what they thought to be a pile of clothes that were in an odd spot. Ultimately when our deputies went out there in 1982 they found a decomposed body," said Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald.

For nearly four decades the body remained unidentified.

What law enforcement knew was the cause of death was three stab wounds to the chest and that he died around four to five months before he was found, not much else.

"Any major case like this, the evidence is basically kept forever in this case. Unless we solve it and then it's kept for so many years afterwards," explained Fitzgerald.

In January of last year, the Barron County Sheriff's Department partnered with the DNA Doe Project.

A non-profit that uses genetic genealogy to identify John and Jane Doe's.

"The DNA degradation was probably the first hurdle that we faced, and a lot can be done with a little nowadays," said Forensic Genealogist with the DNA Doe Project Jenny Lecus.

In December, the DNA Doe team working on the case got a viable DNA sample.

"We were able to get a good sample that was sequenced, it was uploaded to a website called GEDmatch.com and that's where we upload the DNA of our John and Jane Doe's and it gets compared to everyone else who has taken a DNA test and uploaded their own," explained Lecus.

Only hours later, the sheriff's department knew who their victim was.

His name is Kraig King, from White Bear Lake, MN.

"We were able to bring closure to a family, which is very important to us. Ultimately now we have an unsolved murder case either here or probably in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. We don't know where this murder happened, so we are classifying this as a murder investigation," said Fitzgerald.

This case was only the second solved by the DNA Doe Project in Wisconsin.

According to Fitzgerald it's a great reminder of staying the course, even after 37 years.

"You just never give up hope and I think that if we've learned anything in northwest Wisconsin in the last year is that you never give up. From a law enforcement standpoint, from a community standpoint," said Fitzgerald.

A cold case, heating up thanks to technology.

The Barron County Sheriff's Department is also working with the DNA Doe Project on another pair of remains that were found south of Barron off Highway 25 in Dec. 2017.

The Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help as the investigation of King’s homicide continues. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the department at 715-537-3106.

Decomposed human remains that were first found in 1982 in Barron County have been identified as a White Bear Lake man.

Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald says the remains have been identified as Kraig King of Minnesota and his death is being ruled as a homicide. Next of kin has been notified.

The Barron County Sheriff’s Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice- Division of Criminal Investigation and the DNA Doe Project worked together to identify the remains that were found Sept. 21 of 1982.

Fitzgerald says back in 1982, loggers found a pile of clothes in the woods on private land about 100 yards from a tree line near Highway 25, four miles north of Ridgeland.

Autopsy reports the deceased was a white male between 19 and 22 years old. Weighing 180 to 195 pounds and was around 5’8. It is estimated the time of death was April to May 1982 and the manner of death was homicide.

The Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help as the investigation of King’s homicide continues. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the department at 715-537-3106.

Barron County is working with the DNA Doe Project to identify remains that were discovered on Dec. 3 of 2017. Officials do not believe the two cases are connected.