AMW Case File
Matthew William Kruziki
Matt Kruziki disappeared on Christmas Eve 2005.
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Investigators Say Gang Behind Nationwide Killings
After an independent investigation of 89 suspicious deaths, two retired NYPD detectives say that as many as 40 men who drowned in 'suicides' and 'accidents' may have actually been murdered by a national gang that kills young men and leaves smiley-face markings at the scene. They claim 24-year-old Matthew Kruziki, whose body was found floating in the Mississippi River, may be one of the victims; authorities said at the time there was no evidence of foul play in Matthew's death.
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Last updated April 30, 2008
Matthew William Kruziki
Man Vanishes On Christmas Eve
View LargerOn Friday, December 23, 2005, Matthew Kruziki was traveling through Iowa when he and a friend decided to take a break and relax a little bit. The pair checked into a Dubuque, Iowa hotel and went to "The River Queen Lounge" across the state line in East Dubuque, Ill. That bar was the last place anyone ever saw Matt.
Matt, 24, and his friend were enjoying themselves throughout the evening at the River Queen. Lots of patrons and staff members remember seeing Matt and his friend. They say that Matt was very outgoing that night and had even bought some fellow patrons drinks. Police think that Matt's generosity may have gotten him into trouble.
Argument Over Bill Before Disappearance
Sometime after midnight, eyewitnesses tell police that Matt and the bartender got into an argument over the tab. Police say Matt had bought too many rounds, and wasn't able to settle the bill. They say he was asked to leave the bar.
Meanwhile, Matt's friend stayed behind and assumed that Matt was returning to the hotel across the Mississippi River in Dubuque. Instead, Matt returned to the River Queen Lounge at around 1:10 AM early Saturday, Christmas Eve, morning. According to cops, he had left his jacket and wallet behind and was trying to retrieve them.
Police say that because of the earlier argument over the bill, Matt was not allowed back into the club. They say that instead, he was forced to leave without his belongings. Matt was last seen going out into 20-degree weather without his coat or wallet.
Bill Kruziki, Matt's father, is no stranger to criminal investigations. He's a former Wisconsin sheriff and the current U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Now, the investigator has also become a victim and it makes his search for answers all the more poignant.
Matthew William Kruziki
Man's Body Found Floating In River
The pilot called 9-1-1, and authorities set to work identifying the body. An autopsy revealed that the body belonged to 24-year-old Matthew Kruziki, who had gone missing on Christmas Eve 2005.
A coroner's report at the time indicated Kruziki had drowned and that there were no signs of foul play.
After an independent investigation of 89 suspicious deaths, two retired NYPD detectives said on April 28, 2008 that as many as 40 men who drowned in 'suicides' and 'accidents' may have actually been murdered by a national gang that kills young men and leaves smiley-face markings at the scene. They claim 24-year-old Matthew Kruziki, may be one of the victims.
Matthew William Kruziki
- Brown
- Sometimes has a scruffy beard
- Blue
- Because of nerve damage to his right arm and hand, the webbing on his right hand between his thumb and forefinger is collapsed.
- Scar on his back
- Scar on his right elbow
- Scar on his right hand
- None known
- Likes to drink microbrew and imported beer
- Plays guitar
- Enjoys going to jazz clubs
- Enjoys going to coffee houses
- Likes to participate in open mic nights
- Described as very outgoing, talkative
- Very dedicated to working on social reform
- Had recently lost a close friend to a long-term illness
- Matt was last seen leaving a bar on Christmas Eve 2005 in East Dubuque, Illinois.
- Jo Daviess County , IL
- East Dubuque , IL
- Matt and a friend went to East Dubuque to go out to a club. It was right across the Mississippi River from Dubuque, Iowa, where they were staying at a local hotel.
- Hartland , WI
- Waukesha , WI
- Dubuque , IA
- Wisconsin
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Milwaukee , WI
- Matt was last seen wandering the streets of East Dubuque, Illinois.
- Dubuque , IA
Matthew William Kruziki
Photos
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