On this episode of MWMH, Payton and Garrett discuss the bizarre disappearance and murder of 67-year-old, Dexter Stefonek, while driving across the country.

Case Sources:

The Montana Standard, “Body identified as Wisconsin man,” March 20, 1986

The Montana Standard, “No clues in missing man case,” November 22, 1985

Ravalli Republic, “Missing man,” November 21, 1985

Kalispell Daily, “Missing Wisconsin man’s vehicle burns,” November 21, 1985

Green Bay Press-Gazette, “Missing Onedia County man on way home when car found,” by Press-Gazette

The Billings Gazette, “Denver hypnotist to probe for details in death case,” by Gazette 

Glendive Bureau, April 22, 1986

The Billings Gazette, “Corpse may be missing driver,” by Evelyne Donkersloot, March 10, 1986

billingsgazette.com, “Dexter Stefonek,” by Gazette Staff, March 31, 2017

Wausau Daily Herald, “TV show features Rhinelander murder,” April 8, 1989

montanarightnow.com, “Montana Murder Mysteries: Bad Route Rest Stop Killing,” article and video, by ABC FOX Montana News Staff, September 23, 2019, updated January 8, 2021

montanarightnow.com, “stefonek photo,” September 25, 2019

unsolved.com, Dexter Stefonek

distinctlymontana.com, “Unsolved Montana Murders,” by Joseph Shelton, October 3, 2022

missoulian.com, “1985 Montana rest stop murder still puzzles law enforcement,” by Tom 

Lutey, August 27, 2018

theslowlane.com, “Sign to Bad Route in eastern Montana Along I-94”

ancestry.com, Vivian Stefonek

The Billings Gazette, “Sheriff checks leads in Glendive slaying, “ by Jill Sundby, April 25, 

1989

medium.com, published in True Crime Addiction, “Bad Route Rest Stop Murder,” by Lisa Marie Fuqua, January 22, 2021

simmondskimberly.wordpress.com, “Bad Route Road”

findagrave.com, “Dexter William Stefonek”

google maps

projectcoldcase.org, “Cold Case Homicide Statistics”

Glendive Ranger Review.com, web.archive.org, “Thirty-year-old Bad Route Rest Are Murder 

Case Remains Unsolved,” by Jason Stuart, November 30, 2015

Assisted research and writing by Diane Birnholz

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