A former University of Minnesota adjunct professor is awaiting conviction for allegedly killing her boyfriend last November.
Authorities say Rose Marie Kuehni shot and killed Douglas Bailey at their home in Prescott, Wis., and could receive life in prison for first-degree intentional homicide, according to a criminal complaint filed with the Pierce County Circuit Court in December. Additionally, Kuehni could receive 10 years and a $25,000 fine for hiding his corpse.
Kuehni began teaching construction management classes at the University in 2003, University spokesman Joseph Koktan said.
She was teaching two online classes at the time of the incident, Construction Management Faculty Director Peter Hilger said.
He said he worked with Kuehni for about 10 years and said students and faculty worked well with her.
“I was surprised and devastated by the news,” he said. “This took all of the faculty by surprise. We’re sad about it.”
Kuehni’s coworkers learned of the murder on Dec. 9, 2015, Hilger said.
Kuehni’s attorney, Mark Gherty, declined comment until a decision on her conviction is made.
According to the complaint, Bailey’s relatives in Peoria, Ill., reported him missing on Nov. 30, 2015, four days after they believe he went missing. The couple of five years planned to visit Illinois over the Thanksgiving holiday, but they never arrived, the complaint said.
According to the complaint, Kuehni shot her boyfriend twice in their bedroom after he threatened to rape and kill her. She then wrapped the body in bed sheets, plastic and duct tape, placed it in a box next to another box with his belongings and handed them off to friend Clarence Hicks several days later, the complaint said.
She hid the gun in her sister’s garage, according to the complaint.
Hicks met Kuehni near Peoria, Ill., and took the boxes to a remote area in Kentucky. He dropped off the boxes on the side of a mountain, the complaint said.
Kuehni did not tell Hicks what was inside the boxes, according to the court document.
Hicks informed investigators nearly two weeks later of the boxes’ location, and he was released, according to the complaint.
