Joel Bremer arrested in Missouri 1988 murder of pregnant wife Ronna Bremer

Advances in DNA testing enabled authorities to link Joel Bremer to the 1988 disappearance and death of his pregnant wife, Ronna Bremer, in Christian County, Missouri. After a skull sent anonymously in 1991 was identified as Ronna’s in 2001 and the case was repeatedly reopened, DNA evidence submitted in November 2024 matched Bremer, leading to his arrest on July 31, 2024. He has been charged with two counts of second‑degree murder for the deaths of Ronna and her unborn child and is being held on a $200,000 bond.

Sheriff Brad Cole of the Christian County Sheriff’s Office described the arrest as a long‑awaited step toward justice for the family, noting the case had long suffered from a lack of tangible evidence. The U.S. Marshals Service carried out the arrest, marking the conclusion of a 37‑year cold‑case investigation.