“My Brother’s Killer” Criminologist Revisits Kenosha Cold Case

Milwaukee, WI – On October 4, 1983, a hiker found the torso of 18-year-old Eric Hansen in a plastic trash bag in Petrifying Springs County Park in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The rest of his body was never found.

Hansen, formerly of St. Francis, Wisconsin, was described by newspapers as a “prototype of the troubled youth:” a child of divorce, an occasional runaway, an “emotionally disabled” high school dropout, and “alienated” from his classmates.

As the homicide investigation continued, authorities also revealed that Hanson was a sex worker, well-known to the local gay community, and last seen outside an adult book store in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.

Police initially suspected Hansen had been the victim of gay bashing. Despite many false starts, including links to serial killers Larry Eyler, Joachim Dressler, and even Jeffrey Dahmer, Eric’s murder has never been solved and Kenosha County Cold Case #83-13716 remains open to this day.

Now, the mystery has seized the attention of Clark Williams, whose groundbreaking work in the Billy Newton cold case is chronicled in “My Brother’s Killer” (Rachel Mason, 2026.) Williams is revisiting the Hansen murder mystery through a modern-day, inside-out lens, hoping to identify something – anything – that might lead to justice for Eric.

“As I have come to know Eric, my heart breaks for him,” said Williams. “He was so young to have already lived through so much. We are the same age. That kid could have been me.”

While visiting Milwaukee for the April 18 Milwaukee Film Festival premiere of “My Brother’s Killer,” Williams plans to walk in Eric’s shoes and retrace his last steps before disappearing on September 27, 1983. He’s already been conducting his own research, which may include interviews with Eric’s surviving friends and family.

Williams has launched an online campaign asking anyone who knew Eric, visited the same Walker’s Point bars, or heard anything about the case in the 1980s to come forward.

“My hope is to rule in or rule out suspects in Eric’s murder,” said Williams. “I’m hoping to uncover previously unknown persons of interest. But my ultimate goal is to better understand who Eric was as a person.”

“Eric Hansen deserves justice, and together, we can find it.”

While building a detailed victimology, Williams has been utilizing the expansive archives of the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project. Michail Takach, the organization’s president and chair, has been serving as a key resource and advisor to Williams in the victim-centered investigation.

“Eric Hansen has been a cautionary tale for young gay men for nearly 45 years now,” said Michail Takach. “We need to know who he was as a human being, so we can better support people like Eric living in the world today.”

Anyone with information about the life and death of Eric Hansen is encouraged to contact Clark Williams directly at ClarkWilliams@ hotmail.com or 408-829-0375. Confidentiality is assured.

Questions? Contact us!

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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