ATTENTION: Wisconsin Department of Justice (Attorney General  Josh Kaul) and Taylor County officials   In 2008, 39-year-old mother of four Jean A.Viken (Schreiner) disappeared from Taylor County, Wisconsin. later, both her body and her car were recovered in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest under circumstances that have never been adequately explained to her family or the public. For more than twenty years, Jean’s loved ones and community have lived with unanswered questions about what happened to her and whether anyone will ever be held accountable. Recently, a citizen requested records from the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) related to Jean’s case. DOJ denied that request, stating that the case is “still open and under investigation.” On paper, that label blocks public records. In reality, there has been no meaningful, visible investigative progress for years. Jean’s case is functionally cold, but also sealed from outside scrutiny. We, the undersigned, believe: • The public has a right to know how a possible homicide of a mother of four, whose body and vehicle were recovered in a national forest, has been investigated.
• The term “open investigation” cannot be used indefinitely as a shield to avoid transparency when little or no active work is occurring.
• Jean’s family, her community, and the people of Wisconsin deserve sunlight, accountability, and a clear plan for next steps in this case. We respectfully demand that:
1. Wisconsin DOJ and Taylor County provide a public update on the status of the investigation into the death of Jean A. Viken / Schreiner, including whether there are active leads, assigned investigators, and a current investigative plan.
2. DOJ and Taylor County release all possible records that can be disclosed under Wisconsin’s public records law without genuinely compromising any specific, clearly-identified investigative step.
3. If the case is not being actively worked, DOJ must either:
• Formally acknowledge it as a cold case and refer it for renewed review (including, if appropriate, outside or multidisciplinary review), or
• Commit resources and timelines for a genuine renewed investigation.
Jean was a real person, not a file number. Her body and car were found in a national forest. Her children, extended family, and community deserve more than silence and boilerplate denials. We call on Wisconsin DOJ and Taylor County to stop hiding this case behind the word “open” and to either work it or explain it. Justice for Jean requires transparency, honesty, and action—now. After you sign • Share this petition with the hashtag#JusticeForJeanViken.
• If you live in Wisconsin, send a public records request or brief email to DOJ referencing this petition and asking for action and transparency in Jean’s case.
• Join and follow Northern Wisconsin Missing People & Unsolved Crime Victims on Facebook for updates and concrete next steps.