Kenosha Police Arrest 68-Year-Old Man in 1977 Homicide

James Terry Fowler charged with first-degree murder in 48-year-old cold case

Mar. 30, 2026 at 8:05pm

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An extreme close-up of a red police evidence marker against a dark background, conceptually representing the investigation into a decades-old homicide case.A grim reminder that the passage of time does not erase the need for justice in unsolved crimes.Kenosha Today

Kenosha police have arrested 68-year-old James Terry Fowler and charged him with first-degree homicide in connection with a 1977 murder case. The cold case unit reopened the investigation in 2021 and used advanced evidence processing techniques with the FBI to identify Fowler as the suspect.

Why it matters

This arrest after nearly 50 years highlights the persistence of law enforcement in pursuing justice for victims, even in the most challenging unsolved cases. It also demonstrates the power of modern forensic science to uncover new leads in historical crimes.

The details

On September 7, 1977, police responded to a home on 25th Avenue in Kenosha and found 48-year-old Ralph Ambrose Gianoli dead from blunt force trauma. The case went unsolved for decades until the Kenosha Police Department's cold case unit reopened the investigation in 2021. Detectives reviewed the original case file, interviewed previous investigators, identified new suspects, and used advanced evidence processing techniques with the FBI to eventually identify 68-year-old James Terry Fowler as the suspect. Fowler was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee on March 30, 2026 and charged with first-degree homicide.

  • On September 7, 1977, police responded to a home and found Ralph Ambrose Gianoli dead.
  • In October 2021, the Kenosha Police Department's cold case unit reopened the 1977 homicide investigation.
  • In July 2024, detectives identified 68-year-old James Terry Fowler as the suspect.
  • On March 30, 2026, Fowler was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee.

The players

Kenosha Police Department

The local law enforcement agency in Kenosha, Wisconsin that investigated the 1977 homicide case and made the recent arrest.

Ralph Ambrose Gianoli

The 48-year-old victim who was found dead from blunt force trauma in 1977.

James Terry Fowler

The 68-year-old man who was arrested and charged with first-degree homicide in the 1977 cold case.

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What’s next

The judge will decide whether to grant bail for James Terry Fowler at a hearing next week.

The takeaway

This arrest after nearly 50 years demonstrates the persistence of law enforcement in pursuing justice for victims, even in the most challenging unsolved cases. It also highlights the power of modern forensic science to uncover new leads in historical crimes and provide closure for families.