Tom Monfils

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Green Bay Police Department And Brown County District Attorney (WI)

Death Location:

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Summary:

Thomas John Monfils was a 35-year-old paper mill worker found dead at the bottom of a pulp vat at the James River Paper Mill in Green Bay, Wisconsin on November 22, 1992. His body was discovered with a 50-pound weight tied around his neck, two days after he was reported missing. Six co-workers—Keith Kutska, Michael Piaskowski, Michael Johnson, Michael Hirn, Dale Basten, and Rey Moore—were convicted in 1995 of first-degree intentional homicide. The case remains controversial, with one conviction overturned, others released on parole, and questions persisting about whether Monfils was murdered or died by suicide.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Death:

On November 10, 1992, Tom Monfils made an anonymous call to the Green Bay Police Department to report that his coworker Keith Kutska was stealing an electrical cord from the James River Paper Mill. Kutska was subsequently suspended from work for one week. Over the next 10 days, Monfils repeatedly called police, pleading that his tip be kept confidential and his identity protected. However, through a breakdown in police procedure, a cassette tape of Monfils' recorded call was released to Kutska on November 20, 1992. On the morning of November 21, 1992, Kutska arrived at work with the tape and repeatedly played it for other employees, revealing Monfils as the informant. When Monfils arrived at his work station in a soundproof control room, Kutska and another coworker confronted him and played the recording. After this confrontation at approximately 7:45 a.m., Monfils left the control room to perform a routine task (a "turnover" scheduled for 7:34 a.m.). This was the last time he was seen alive. Within the hour, coworkers Michael Johnson and Dale Basten were observed carrying something heavy toward one of the mill's paper vats. Workers became concerned about Monfils' whereabouts and reported him missing that same day. On November 22, 1992, around 8 p.m., a supervisor ordered the vat to be drained. Monfils' body was discovered at the bottom of the two-story pulp vat with a rope and 50-pound weight tied around his neck. His body had been mutilated by the large propellers at the bottom of the vat that continuously stirred the pulp mixture.

Additional Details:

The investigation into Monfils' death was extensive and difficult. Police could find no blood stains, murder weapon, or physical evidence of a struggle at the scene. The case was initially treated as a suspicious death, but autopsy results determined Monfils had been murdered. Despite the apparent evidence, it took two-and-a-half years before arrests were made. In June 1995, six of Monfils' coworkers—Keith Kutska, Michael Piaskowski, Michael Johnson, Michael Hirn, Dale Basten, and Rey Moore—were arrested. In September 1995, after a joint 28-day trial featuring 81 witnesses, all six were convicted of first-degree intentional homicide as party to the crime and sentenced to life in prison. The prosecution argued that the men, angered by Monfils' "snitching" on Kutska's theft, confronted and beat him, ultimately resulting in his death. Keith Kutska was identified as the ringleader. However, the case has remained controversial. Michael Piaskowski's conviction was overturned in 2001 by federal judge Myron Gordon, who ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove his involvement. Dale Basten was granted parole in September 2017 due to failing health and died in June 2018 at age 77. Michael Hirn was paroled in June 2018 after serving 23 years. Michael Johnson was paroled in June 2019. Rey Moore was paroled in July 2019. Keith Kutska, the last to remain imprisoned, was granted parole in August 2023 after serving approximately 28 years and was released from Prairie du Chien Correctional Institution. Kutska died on February 24, 2026, while traveling in Arizona. Throughout their imprisonment and release, all six men have maintained their innocence. Cal Monfils, Tom's younger brother, has publicly stated he no longer believes his brother was murdered and has supported alternative theories, including the possibility of suicide. At an evidentiary hearing in 2015, Cal testified about evidence suggesting Tom may have died by suicide after police released the recording that exposed him as an informant. Two books have been published arguing the six men were innocent, and a documentary titled "Beyond Human Nature" premiered in April 2023, exploring the controversial case and raising questions about potential wrongful convictions. Despite ongoing appeals and motions for new trials, the convictions of the five remaining men (Basten, Hirn, Johnson, Moore, and Kutska) were upheld through numerous court proceedings.

Case Last Updated:

Aug 29, 2026