Does anyone remember this one? It was the guy who was suspect in the missing woman case and then was found with his head ran over by his own forklift. I recall a brief update where Robert says they found the woman buried at Tom's workplace but nothing else after that. I did an internet search and came up with nothing. I was wondering if they found a cause of death for the woman (Tina, I think?) and linked Tom to her with DNA. Also, if there was an update about his murder/suicide.

I'm inclined to believe he was murdered but did murder the Tina girl. Maybe someone knew he murdered her (her husband, perhaps?) and killed him. I dunno, interesting case. Anyone know anything?

K

Does anyone remember this one? It was the guy who was suspect in the missing woman case and then was found with his head ran over by his own forklift. I recall a brief update where Robert says they found the woman buried at Tom's workplace but nothing else after that. I did an internet search and came up with nothing. I was wondering if they found a cause of death for the woman (Tina, I think?) and linked Tom to her with DNA. Also, if there was an update about his murder/suicide.

I'm inclined to believe he was murdered but did murder the Tina girl. Maybe someone knew he murdered her (her husband, perhaps?) and killed him. I dunno, interesting case. Anyone know anything?

K

I vaguely remember it. I did a search, and it's on the current UM website, Unsolved.com. The guy's last name was actually spelled Kueter. I don't know if maybe yours was a typo, but that may have been why you couldn't find anything. It says there was an update, basically that his wife got life insurance benefits, because they couldn't prove it was a suicide, and they still really don't know much. Check it out on the site, if you'd like to know more :)

Hmm, this is a tough one. I mean it seems like such a bizarre way to kill ones self. However if someone is desperate enough desperate times call for desperate measures. I too believe that Tom Kueter did kill Tina. Now, I do not necessarily believe the murder itself was premeditated. I go along generally with the police theory. That he had been playing softball that night, he dropped his friend off and then he went to where Tina worked planning on trying to get her to have sex with him. I imagine he was probably under the impression something would happen. However she rejected his advances and I imagine his ego was hurt, plus he was probably afraid she would tell his wife that he tried to hook up with her. So he panicked and he killed her.

Now, the bigger question is, was Tom Kueter murdered or did he kill himself? My theory is, he probably killed himself. I think Tom knew he was going to go down for the murder rap sooner or later. His story was bogus (for whatever reason that is a common alibi defense for a guy suspected of a murder, that his car broke down, then he gives a very specific location where this allegedly happened yet no one remembers seeing him or his car there).

So basically, Tom made the classic mistake of running his yap to the cops, being very specific about where he was, which was also a mistake because he was so specific that if he was lying (which he was) it could be easily proven as a lie. To be honest, I think Tom probably could have beat the rap on this case had he just stayed quiet but he felt that common pressure to talk to the cops because he probably felt if he lawyered up it would look like he was hiding something.

So, I think Tom knew sooner or later he was going to go down for this. Especially once they found the body, he knew he would be arrested and he knew that sooner or later the body would be found. If he was arrested, he would have to put his family through the case, he would have to go to prison, his wife and kids would lose out on all his benefits. So I think he decided to kill himself in this way knowing that they could not really prove it was a suicide, thus his family would get his life insurance proceeds, he would not have to go to prison or put his family or himself through a trial.

One other theory I have considered in this case, is it possible Tom and Tina were having an affair? When I think about it, this theory almost seems more plausible. In the segment, remember, Tina's longtime boyfriend asks Tom, 'Tom just be straight with me, are you messing around with my old lady?' he asked it in the present tense, so that tells me that the boyfriend had suspicions that Tina and Tom were having an affair.

I think it's pretty clear Tom killed Tina. In his own death, there does not appear to be any evidence of murder. Suicide is certainly possible, esp. given that he likely would have gone down for the murder and didn't realish the possiblity of jail. It could also have been an accident. Honestly, the wife just comes across as someone unable to accept her husband as a rapist and murderer, so prefers to think of him as a victim instead.

Googling the name, it appears his son just died too, aged 18.

Has it been comletely ruled out againts this being an accident?

Has it been comletely ruled out againts this being an accident?

The segment made no mention of it being an accident, but that's just as probable, if not more so, than suicide.

Since the insurance paid out, it would lead me to conclude that's what it found. If there was any significent evidence of suicide, insurance would not have paid.

I've always wanted to see an update to this case. It seems after the story was filmed, Tina's body was found. I was curious to see if there was any evidence of rape and if so if it could be linked to Tom by dna. Such a bizarre way Tom died. I lean towards him being guilty but that was a very hit and miss way to commit suicide. I wouldn't rule it out though, I think its very possible.

Tom killed Tina. Tom's wife has denial written all over her. I can understand that, but there is too much going against Tom.

First off the phone call where the friend of Tina's was told that Tom was there to pick her up from work. Then Tom washing his clothes in the middle of the night as soon as he came home. No alibi for Tom's whereabouts.

Whether his death was an accident, suicide or murder is debatable. It's hard to see how someone could have killed him in broad daylight in a lumber yard. You'd think someone would have seen something, but maybe Tom worked in a big area and was often on his own, who knows? The murder theory is possible in revenge for Tina.

An accident? I don't know. Why would the forklift stop then? Same with a suicide. I am leaning towards murder to be honest, but either way Tom got what he most certainly deserved

Never offically solved? thought they might have closed the book on this one.

There are alot of things that have not been said regarding my husbands death. And yes I have lost my son Dustin Kueter.

There are alot of things that have not been said regarding my husbands death. And yes I have lost my son Dustin Kueter.I assume you're Nancy? If so, welcome. I'm sorry about both of your losses.

Nancy, could you provide us with some of the details that haven't been released abou this case? I ask this since UM often omits important details.

Yes, this is Nancy. I fought for years regarding my husbands death as you know the dead can't speak. There was no evidence it was speculation what the police department said. It was there theory. I live to this day not knowing the answers. I will always believe in my heart Tom did not kill Tina. I believe/know other things happened that were not said.

Now I live with the death of my son, he died a tragic death, his life was in the hands of FRIENDS, that failed to take the necessary action that would have saved his life. It makes me sick and I will fight for him.

www.friendsdontletfriendsdie.com this is the web site I am involved with and will be the rest of my life. I will continue to save lives and get the word out.

Thank You
Nancy Kueter

I've personally witnessed numerous people dismounting a forklift w/o taking it out of gear or engaging the brake,so I can see this as being an accident.Using a forklift to crush your own head will probably cause the instant death that someone is looking to find in suicide.
As for Tina, it seems likely that Tom Kueter may have killed her
especially if no other suspect has come to the fore in the time since his death.
I'm surprised that they haven't released any of the blood evidence that was gathered.Unless,of course,it didn't match Tina's blood.

There was no blood found. The police department said they found blood in our vehicle it was not blood it was kool-aid that was spilled from the kids. This is one of the things not said.

I could speculate or have a theory of what may have happened ( like the rapid city police department did )

Also there were two Tom's that worked out at Black Hills Molding another thing not said.

The not knowing what really happened is killing me inside, and when you ask questions to the investigators and you don't get answers tells me they don't really know that's why they speculated and said there theory.

Thank You
Nancy Kueter

There was no blood found. The police department said they found blood in our vehicle it was not blood it was kool-aid that was spilled from the kids. This is one of the things not said.

I could speculate or have a theory of what may have happened ( like the rapid city police department did )

Also there were two Tom's that worked out at Black Hills Molding another thing not said.

The not knowing what really happened is killing me inside, and when you ask questions to the investigators and you don't get answers tells me they don't really know that's why they speculated and said there theory.

Thank You
Nancy Kueter

You'll forgive me,but if you are really Nancy Kueter,I find it odd that you would be on an online forum answering comments rather than pushing the authorities to resolve this matter once and for all.
Do you have a web site dedicated to this?
If not..why not?
A Myspace/Facebook/Twitter page?
Again...why not?

If you are NOT Nancy Kueter, then your masquerade is in very poor taste and you should hope that if there is a God, that he has a sense of humor.

This is me I read the comments that people say some of it hurts, and I feel I need to tell people what we have investigated and proved.

I don't have a face book or anything like that. I don't know why

I have lost my son Dustin and if you go on the web-site you can see the video that I put on there of him growing up and you will see him and his daddy on there along with our daughter Jessie and me. the web site is www.friendsdontletfriendsdie.com

Just click on my sons name Dustin Kueter

My life has been hard the not knowing what really happened is killing me inside. I have put up a fight for my husband for years with the police department and took it to court and won. I don't know what more I can do. There isn't anything I can do because that's what they believe.

And now I will fight for Justice for my son Dustin

Nancy

It is me I don't know why I am on here, some of the stuff I read hurts I want answeres just like you do.
I did all I could to fight for Tom, I took it to court and won, I don't know what else to do. I don't belive anything has been done with this for years otherwise the police department would have said something to me.
I have lost my son Dustin I am involved with friends don't let friends die the web site is www.friendsdontletfriendsdie.com just click on his photo Dustin Kueter and you can see the video of him, his daddy, Jessie and I.

This is me I read the comments that people say some of it hurts, and I feel I need to tell people what we have investigated and proved.

I don't have a face book or anything like that. I don't know why

I have lost my son Dustin and if you go on the web-site you can see the video that I put on there of him growing up and you will see him and his daddy on there along with our daughter Jessie and me. the web site is www.friendsdontletfriendsdie.com

Just click on my sons name Dustin Kueter

My life has been hard the not knowing what really happened is killing me inside. I have put up a fight for my husband for years with the police department and took it to court and won. I don't know what more I can do. There isn't anything I can do because that's what they believe.

And now I will fight for Justice for my son Dustin

Nancy

I am sorry for the loss of your son, especially in such a senseless and preventable way.

I am curious as to the lawsuit you describe. Who did you sue and for what cause of action(s)?

The UM segment focuses most of its attention on Tina's disappearance and Tom's potential role in it. The evidence against Tom is, at least as portrayed in the segment, circumstantial. It is also a little confusing, as Tom and Tina are said to be "casual acquaintances," yet Tom's role after the disappearance (helping her boyfriend look for her, going to LE with him, etc.) suggest more of a connection.

Your belief that Tom was murdered is given almost no time in the segment and no evidence is presented to support it. Not much more supports the suicide theory either, however, unless you accept that Tom killed Tina. To me, accident is just as possible, if not more so. Has any additional evidence come to light that would support a murder theory?

That is what I belive and feel. I don't belive Tom would hurt or kill anyone. I belive he did know something and was killed for knowing. My reason is because the day before Tom died he told me he was being framed and there doing a good job the next day he was dead.

Tom did not tell me who or why I feel he did not want me to know maybe he felt if I did know they would kill me and the kids to.

My grandma said someday I will know the answeres that when they are on there death bed they will want forgivness before they die. I want to belive that will happen. I hope so.

The fork lift Tom was driving had faulty breaks. Forest Products was fined by Osha.

The markings on my husband did not match to the way they said the fork lift ran him over.

It makes me sick.

Nancy

Nancy,

I went to the website you posted and saw the memorial for your son and your interview there. I'm so sorry for your loss. I think the work you are doing to make people more aware of the dangers of the situation your son was in will definitely be beneficial to others and you may even save lives.

If I may bring this up, please try not to take any comments made here as a personal judgement on you or your family. We are all pretty much just a bunch of nerdy Unsolved Mysteries fans.

One thing we do is "play armchair detective". Since most of us are not personally connected to the cases, we aren't really emotionally invested in them the way a loved one would be. Because of that, we sometimes discuss unpleasant subjects. We definitely don't mean to hurt any of the folks involved. I hope you will feel welcome because we are definitely glad to have you here. :)

What motive would someone else have in killing Tom if he were innocent? And wouldn't there have been a better way to kill him and make it look like a suicide other than by having his head crushed by a forklift? A desperate man does some strange and desperate things which would lead me to believe as unlikely as it seems, suicide is the most logical scenario. If he did murder Tina and bury her remains at his worksite he probably figured it would be along time before anyone found her...but like the officer said on the UM segment the phone call to Tina's friend is what ruined Tom's plan IMO...he probably didn't even know she was on the phone and then when the cops started questioning him is when he knew it was only a matter of time. It's very possible that he was intoxicated if and when he murdered her but that's pure speculation on my part.

Nancy,

You stated that there was another Tom working at Black Hills Molding. Did he and Tina know each other? Did you and/or your husband know him? If so, what kind of man was he? Was he involved in the investigation and/or questioned?

A theory could be that if your husband told you he was being framed, perhaps it's the the other Tom (or the real killer, if not him) that was doing it? Your husband could've done some digging himself, and was killed because he found out Tom (or someone else) killed Tina. I know that if I was being framed for something I'd look into it myself, with a friend or someone else I trust alongside me. Depending on the situation, I might also hire a private investigator.

I think Tom is guilty but I also think he did not commit suicide. Why did he happen to be out well past midnight to pick up Tina on the night someone slashed her tire? Also UM mentioned he did a load of laundry when getting home at 3:30 AM.

I think Tom is guilty but I also think he did not commit suicide. Why did he happen to be out well past midnight to pick up Tina on the night someone slashed her tire? Also UM mentioned he did a load of laundry when getting home at 3:30 AM.

Even though it's only circumstantial, the fact that he did laundry at 3:30 in the morning should cast enough suspicioun in his direction. Who does laundry that early in the morning, let alone get home that late from a baseball game?

Who does laundry at 3:30am?
Insomniacs.
People who just got home and need to do laundry.
New parents whose kid just woke them up.
People working the night shift.
College kids.
People leaving for a trip who procrastinate packing.
Someone who has had an biological event (I won't elaborate, you fill in the blanks.) that necessitated cleaning bedsheets.

You get the point. That fact alone means little to me.

Insomniacs.
People who just got home and need to do laundry.
New parents whose kid just woke them up.
People working the night shift.
College kids.
People leaving for a trip who procrastinate packing.
Someone who has had an biological event (I won't elaborate, you fill in the blanks.) that necessitated cleaning bedsheets.

You get the point. That fact alone means little to me.

You left out murderers. He got home at 3:30 in the morning, after playing baseball (and I believe the segment mentioned he went out for a few beers) he then decides to do laundry? It's too much of a coincidence that the one night out of the year he decides to do laundry that early in the morning is also the same night Tina disappeared.

You left out murderers. He got home at 3:30 in the morning, after playing baseball (and I believe the segment mentioned he went out for a few beers) he then decides to do laundry? It's too much of a coincidence that the one night out of the year he decides to do laundry that early in the morning is also the same night Tina disappeared.


I agree. As painful as it may be to face, I feel from watching the episode, it seems very likely that he killed her. I mean, how many coincidences can their be? She doesn't just have a flat but it looks like someone slashed her tires. Then, just when she needs a ride, Tom just happens to be there. Why? Was he in the habit of picking her or anyone else up that late at night. It's not like she was hitchhiking and he drove by, he was waiting in the parking lot. (I kind of regret that she didn't put this connection together and wait for her friend to get her.) I wonder if she asked herself why he was waiting there. Something is missing from this story, but it is very strange and no one seems to have an explanation.

What he didn't count on was the fact that she would be on the phone talking to a friend and that she would give details that would lead back to him.

I think things began to close in on him after his friend confronted him about having an affair. I'm not convinced this was suicide. I wonder how much the friend was questioned - is there a possibility that he told others that Tom cheated with his girlfriend and a result the friend got some people together to kill Tom? I feel that is entirely possible. At the same time I don't rule out suicide. I think Tom was overwhelmed at the evidence pilling up.

You left out murderers. He got home at 3:30 in the morning, after playing baseball (and I believe the segment mentioned he went out for a few beers) he then decides to do laundry? It's too much of a coincidence that the one night out of the year he decides to do laundry that early in the morning is also the same night Tina disappeared.
The laundry part isn't what sways me, but the fact that he did it the same night that Tina claimed that he was there at the store and was going to give her a lift home. I'm sorry to say it looks like he did do it. However, I have a hard time buying that it was suicide because that would be one of the worst ways to do it. You might feel pain for several moments before being dead and that's just awful. Can't rule it out, but I think it's more likely that someone murdered him or it was a bizarre accident.

What I've never seen in this case is a concrete motive. Why would Tom kill Tina? The "rebuffed advances" theory is a little contrived, IMO. It seems awfully convenient, especially in light of the fact that no other evidence of Tom having a tendency towards that kind of behavior is presented in the segment (and I do think this is one of "those" segments in which a lot of information is left out).

The laundry thing--that's whatever to me. For all we know someone could've spilled beer on him, or he was worried about a grass stain setting in, or any number of things.

The only aspect of the case that's significant to me is Tina was found on the property and Tom died the day after she disappeared. With the lack of good information in the segment to strongly support a motive, I'm not ready to conclude Tom did anything to cause Tina's disappearance and death.

Mrs. Kueter, if you're still around, I am sorry for the losses you have suffered. God bless you.

What I've never seen in this case is a concrete motive. Why would Tom kill Tina? The "rebuffed advances" theory is a little contrived, IMO. It seems awfully convenient, especially in light of the fact that no other evidence of Tom having a tendency towards that kind of behavior is presented in the segment (and I do think this is one of "those" segments in which a lot of information is left out).

The laundry thing--that's whatever to me. For all we know someone could've spilled beer on him, or he was worried about a grass stain setting in, or any number of things.

The only aspect of the case that's significant to me is Tina was found on the property and Tom died the day after she disappeared. With the lack of good information in the segment to strongly support a motive, I'm not ready to conclude Tom did anything to cause Tina's disappearance and death.

Mrs. Kueter, if you're still around, I am sorry for the losses you have suffered. God bless you.


I feel the same way towards Mrs. Kueter, and too am sorry for her loss.

Meg, I appreciate your giving Tom the benefit of the doubt, but I also think that there is a lot to be suspicious about in this case. I agree with Wishful Dreamer, this is probably a horrible way to commit suicide, which makes me believe that Tom was killed in retaliation, especially since it happened at work where several people could have been involved. That being said, I think Tom had the same motive that a lot of other men have had in the history of the show: he was attracted to his friend's girlfriend, maybe assumed she was too, he made advances, she said no, he raped her and then realized that all hell would break loose when she went to the police and since only two people knew what happened, he felt he had to kill her.

I thought it was interesting in the episode when the friend said that Tom was the kind of guy who would immediately fight if accused of something he didn't do and that it was uncharacteristic for Tom to be tongued tied or reticent when he asked whether Tom was having an affair with his girlfriend. If we trust the friend as a character witness, this suggests Tom had a temper and that same kind of anger might have been explosive if Tina had said or done "the wrong thing" and he was furious.

Of course, this isn't evidence, but again, looking at the other details, how do you explain him being out there at night? Was he just psychic and knew that she was going to have car trouble, or what tipped him off that she would need a ride home? it's not like he even worked there anymore. For me this is the most damning bit of evidence. And given the description of this guy's character - is he really the kind of guy to be so concerned about laundry that he had to do it at 3:30 in the morning...did he even usually do laundry at all or was that his wife. If the idea is that this was exceptional behavior, then I can understand why police had questions. Add this to the fact that he said his car was broken down for hours - no one came forward and said they saw a problem there. So he has car trouble the same night he washes his clothes and he picks Tina up. All of this might have worked for him, even with the suspicion, if it hadn't been for the fact that she was on the phone with her friend. That's the wild card.

I'm not saying you're not entitled to your opinion, but the tone of your message suggests that there's nothing to really suggest Tom is guilty and I'm curious, and I'm not being confrontational, just seriously wondering, how do you reconcile those things?

I feel the same way towards Mrs. Kueter, and too am sorry for her loss.

Meg, I appreciate your giving Tom the benefit of the doubt, but I also think that there is a lot to be suspicious about in this case. I agree with Wishful Dreamer, this is probably a horrible way to commit suicide, which makes me believe that Tom was killed in retaliation, especially since it happened at work where several people could have been involved. That being said, I think Tom had the same motive that a lot of other men have had in the history of the show: he was attracted to his friend's girlfriend, maybe assumed she was too, he made advances, she said no, he raped her and then realized that all hell would break loose when she went to the police and since only two people knew what happened, he felt he had to kill her.

I thought it was interesting in the episode when the friend said that Tom was the kind of guy who would immediately fight if accused of something he didn't do and that it was uncharacteristic for Tom to be tongued tied or reticent when he asked whether Tom was having an affair with his girlfriend. If we trust the friend as a character witness, this suggests Tom had a temper and that same kind of anger might have been explosive if Tina had said or done "the wrong thing" and he was furious.

Of course, this isn't evidence, but again, looking at the other details, how do you explain him being out there at night? Was he just psychic and knew that she was going to have car trouble, or what tipped him off that she would need a ride home? it's not like he even worked there anymore. For me this is the most damning bit of evidence. And given the description of this guy's character - is he really the kind of guy to be so concerned about laundry that he had to do it at 3:30 in the morning...did he even usually do laundry at all or was that his wife. If the idea is that this was exceptional behavior, then I can understand why police had questions. Add this to the fact that he said his car was broken down for hours - no one came forward and said they saw a problem there. So he has car trouble the same night he washes his clothes and he picks Tina up. All of this might have worked for him, even with the suspicion, if it hadn't been for the fact that she was on the phone with her friend. That's the wild card.

I'm not saying you're not entitled to your opinion, but the tone of your message suggests that there's nothing to really suggest Tom is guilty and I'm curious, and I'm not being confrontational, just seriously wondering, how do you reconcile those things?

I just don't like making deductions based on a small amount of information, which is what we often get in UM segments. (I think that's at least part of the reason many of us here are voracious true crime readers--we're looking to fill in the gaps in many of these cases.)

I have one character testament and one theoretical motive (with nothing to really support it, IMO). I have Tom being somewhere late at night and Tom doing his laundry at 3:30 AM. To me, that's still not evidential of his guilt. It goes back to the lack of information. For all we know, maybe he had a legitimate reason to be out there. People aren't perfectly predictable nor do they operate in neat little patterns on a daily basis, I think. Given those two things, I'm not willing to conclude anything.

I just don't like making deductions based on a small amount of information, which is what we often get in UM segments. (I think that's at least part of the reason many of us here are voracious true crime readers--we're looking to fill in the gaps in many of these cases.)

I have one character testament and one theoretical motive (with nothing to really support it, IMO). I have Tom being somewhere late at night and Tom doing his laundry at 3:30 AM. To me, that's still not evidential of his guilt. It goes back to the lack of information. For all we know, maybe he had a legitimate reason to be out there. People aren't perfectly predictable nor do they operate in neat little patterns on a daily basis, I think. Given those two things, I'm not willing to conclude anything.
I agree that lack of information is frustrating. Sometimes I wish each UM case had a textbook of facts, eyewitness testimony, and character background to go along with each case.

There's too much of a coincidence in Tina Marcotte disappearing and Tom Kueter dying 4 days later. If Kueter's death was in fact an accident, I think the chances of him being guilty are 75/25. I think I was a bit harsh on him earlier in the thread. As a matter of fact, I think it's entirely possible that (if this was a weird coincidence) police incorrectly assumed that Kueter's death was a suicide, which was the result of his role in Marcotte's disappearance. But I think there's too much strange coincidences in this case to completely dismiss Kueter as being the one responsible for Tina's murder:

-He did report her missing, and also cooperated with police. But his story of fixing his car for 3 to 4 hours without phoning anyone for help (or letting his wife know where he was) is pretty damning, IMO.
-His reaction to Tina's boyfriend questioning Tina's phone call saying that "Tom's here" to her friend. Tina's friend said Kueter became very defensive about it.
-The laundry at 3:30 a.m. Ok, so doing laundry early in the morning might not be suspicious to some people, but he not only washed his clothes, but his shoelaces too.
-His death being four days after she disappeared, and only one day after police said they found blood in his car that they were going to test to see if it belonged to Tina. That's very suspicious.

Heh. Went to the UM website today and it looks like they now have this case filed away under the "Solved" section:
http://unsolved.com/archives/tom-kueter

All it says is that police investigated it for the next 18 years, but now consider the case to be closed. I guess they must be pretty certain that Tom Kueter killed Tina Marcotte and committed suicide.

I think there's more evidence to support that Tom harmed Tina than that he took his own life. That is a hell of a way to kill oneself, and I wonder if someone could have knocked him out and positioned his head there in retaliation for what he allegedly did to Tina. Either way, this is one bizarre case.

I think there's more evidence to support that Tom harmed Tina than that he took his own life. That is a hell of a way to kill oneself, and I wonder if someone could have knocked him out and positioned his head there in retaliation for what he allegedly did to Tina. Either way, this is one bizarre case.

I agree, it seems very likely that Tom killed Tina, but I've always been on the fence about whether he would commit suicide in that fashion. I suppose it's possible it was some sort of freak accident. If the cops decided to close the case. they must be satisfied that there was no third party involved in Tom's death.

Yes it certainly is likely he killed her. Its hard to get past that odd way of committing suicide. It certainly wasn't foolproof. He had to have known people would have been there right away to help him and there would have been a chance at least that he survived. I wonder if it was just a split second decision on his part and not something he thought out.

I was going to ask why it was "solved", as I read that it has been solved on the Unsolved Mysteries Wiki, but couldn't find any articles saying that the Rapid City police closed the case. Where did this information come from?

I think there's enough evidence to suggest that Tom played a part in Tina's disappearance and/or death.

That being said, I don't think he killed himself. I think that he was likely killed in a vigilante style killing by the friends/family of Tina. I have no evidence to back this up. It's just my gut feeling.

I don't know if this has been brought up before in the thread, but as unlikely as the suicide scenario is, perhaps Keuter did this in such a way to make it not appear like a suicide due to some life insurance policy that wouldn't pay out in the event that he took his own life.

ETA: Just saw on the UM website that Keuter's wife did in fact get an insurance payout 4 years after his death. The website also says Marcotte was found under a wood pile at Keuter's work place.

I think the evidence is clear that Keuter was involved. The clincher, IMO, was the account that Tina's best friend, Vicky, had told. Keuter shows up at Vicky's house, with Tina's boyfriend, acting like a concerned friend. I don't think he knew that Tina told Vicky the night prior that she was being picked up by "Tom". When confronted with this, he tries playing it off like she misheard Tina, but he eventually concedes that he was the only Tom that used to work with Tina. He then goes with the boyfriend to report her missing (again, to appear like a concerned friend), and then when police discovered Tina's car was slashed with a tire, he was asked to come in and give a statement. 3 days later, they interviewed him again at his job (telling him about the blood). The next morning, he was dead. This is no coincidence. I don't think this was a retaliation killing, because up to that point, no one really knew Keuter was the prime suspect other than the police. No one knew about the blood found in Keuter's car. No one knew about the laundry episode, besides his wife. Outside of what the police knew, I don't see how an unknown person would have enough information to go on to suspect him of killing Tina. It was only 4 days after she disappeared. She wasn't even proven to be dead at that point.

Another interesting part of the segment: Keuter never denied being the one to offer Tina a ride. He said Vicky misheard her, but he never outright denied giving her a ride that night.

I don't know if this has been brought up before in the thread, but as unlikely as the suicide scenario is, perhaps Keuter did this in such a way to make it not appear like a suicide due to some life insurance policy that wouldn't pay out in the event that he took his own life.

ETA: Just saw on the UM website that Keuter's wife did in fact get an insurance payout 4 years after his death. The website also says Marcotte was found under a wood pile at Keuter's work place.

This makes sense to me. Even though I can't imagine the willpower it would take to lie down in front of a forklift and allow it to crush your head, Tom's plan technically worked. Even though the insurance case was tied up in the courts for a few years, a judge ruled that there wasn't enough evidence to prove suicide.

Outside of what the police knew, I don't see how an unknown person would have enough information to go on to suspect him of killing Tina. It was only 4 days after she disappeared. She wasn't even proven to be dead at that point.

I agree. If there was foul play, it would just have to be an unlikely coincidence of someone wanting to kill Tom for a completely different reason unrelated to Tina. But if the police decided to close the case after 18 years, they must be pretty certain there was no foul play involved.

For me, the only "mystery" in this case was why UM even bothered with it. It was so obvious that Tom killed Tina. As for whether Tom's death was suicide, accident or foul play, I don't know, but it's somewhat irrelevant IMO. He was a murderer. Good riddance!

And still no answer as to the alleged source. I wish certain sites linked the source(s) so that it doesn't look like falsified information. I have not found anything stating the closure of the case other than its mention on the Unsolved Mysteries website and Wiki page. For all we know, someone could have hacked their website and added that bit on there, as they've been hacked before.

I wonder if the "blood found in Tom's car" was a ruse into trying to get Kueter into confessing? Because if they did indeed have blood in his car, they found Tina's body and could have tested it and solved the case years prior. And if they did find blood in his car it's possible that they tested it and it did not match Tina.

I wonder if the "blood found in Tom's car" was a ruse into trying to get Kueter into confessing? Because if they did indeed have blood in his car, they found Tina's body and could have tested it and solved the case years prior. And if they did find blood in his car it's possible that they tested it and it did not match Tina.

I'd bet real money that it was. I think the authorities felt strongly that Tom did it, but were just short of having an airtight case - hence them goading Tom into confessing it.

This was open and shut.

Strange case. It looks like TK killed himself, but it really hasn't been definitively proven. If he did kill himself, it was done in a complicated way; and, I think murder is still a possibility here.

It does sound like he had something to do with TM's disappearance & death, given the phone conversation she had with her friend the night she was picked up from work & his later behavior, the fact that her body was later found on his work-site, etc.

Found this (https://www.inforum.com/news/the-vault/dna-evidence-closes-forklift-mystery-cold-case-in-2012-few-people-knew-the-truth) recent article and gives more information as to why the police closed the case.

“Blood from the shoes Tom Kueter was wearing on the night of Tina’s disappearance was analyzed and compared to DNA samples provided by Tina’s immediate biological family. Results from this analysis determined the blood was a match to Tina’s with a 98.7% degree of certainty,” said Brendyn Medina, spokesperson for the Rapid City Police Department. "If this case were to play out today, we believe Tom would be arrested and prosecuted for Tina’s murder."

I wonder if Tom wasn't the only person involved in Tina's death, and he was killed out of fear he might name names.