Jury deliberations ended in the Richard Pierce case Friday afternoon as the verdict of guilty was announced on both counts, first-degree murder and disinterment of the dead, in relation to the disappearance of this wife, Carol Jean, in 1975. The jury continued with deliberations starting around 8:30 am, and at 1:15 pm Judge David Weber read the jury’s guilty verdict on both counts aloud to the courtroom and each jury member verbally confirmed the verdict individually. The 86 year-old Pierce now has his sentencing hearing scheduled for August 5th. Pierce’s wife disappeared while the two were living in Sturgeon Bay in 1975. Her disappearance remained a cold case for over 40 years until prosecutors charged Pierce with her murder in 2018. That case ended Friday with a jury’s guilty verdict on both counts.
