The Tragic Murder of Nicole Vanderhyden: A Shocking Case of Mistaken Identity

On May 20, 2016, a night of drinking with friends in Green Bay, Wisconsin turned tragic for 31-year-old Nicole Vanderhyden. What started as a fun evening out ended in her brutal murder, sparking a complex investigation that would take several unexpected turns before the true killer was brought to justice.

The Night of the Disappearance

Nicole and her boyfriend Doug Detrie had arranged for a babysitter to watch their 6-month-old son Dylan so they could enjoy a night out. The couple, along with friends Greg, Matthew and Aaron Kolinsky, attended a Steel Panther concert at a local bar called The Watering Hole.

According to Doug's later account, Nicole became upset when she saw him talking to another woman while waiting in line for the restroom. She sent him accusatory text messages and left the venue without him, heading to another nearby bar called the Sardine Can with some of their other friends.

Doug claims he called Nicole around 11:15 pm to let her know he and Greg would meet her at the Sardine Can shortly. However, surveillance footage shows Nicole leaving that bar alone around 11:40 pm, with Aaron Kolinsky following her out and appearing to try to convince her to stay.

This was the last time Nicole was seen on camera. When Doug and Greg arrived at the Sardine Can around 12:10 am, Nicole was nowhere to be found. They searched the area for about 30 minutes before giving up. Doug says Greg dropped him off at home around 2:30 am.

The Next Day

Doug woke up the next morning to find Nicole had not returned home. He initially assumed she had stayed with a friend or at her mother's house. As the day went on with no word from Nicole, Doug became increasingly concerned.

At 4:30 pm on May 21st, nearly 16 hours after he had last seen Nicole, Doug finally called the police to report her missing:

"Yes, um, how do I go about, I guess, the missing person? ... It's my girlfriend and she, she does live with me and she's never done this before."

Coincidentally, police had received another disturbing call earlier that same afternoon. A local farmer had discovered a body on his land, about 3 miles from Doug and Nicole's home. The body was that of a blonde woman in her 30s - matching Nicole's description. However, due to the severe injuries, a positive identification could not be immediately made.

The Initial Investigation

Brown County Sheriff's Sergeant Tracy Holbach went to Doug's home that evening to interview him about Nicole's disappearance. Doug explained the events of the previous night, saying the last time he had spoken to Nicole was around 11:15 pm when he called to say he would meet her at the Sardine Can.

Doug claimed that after searching for Nicole, he and Greg had a few drinks at the Sardine Can before Greg dropped him off at home around 2:30 am. He said he went to bed, woke briefly at 6:30 am to feed the baby, then went back to sleep until 10:30 am.

Later that night, Doug was brought in for further questioning at the Sheriff's Office. He became extremely emotional when detectives informed him that a body matching Nicole's description had been found:

"I swear to God, the [expletive] who did this... I will find them. I will find them. I love you, I love you, I love you. I really did. I love you."

The Evidence Mounts

As the investigation continued, several pieces of evidence seemed to point to Doug's involvement:

• Police found a pair of bloody Air Jordan shoes at the couple's home that appeared to match shoe prints found on the victim's body.
• Blood spatter was discovered on the garage floor and in Nicole's vehicle.
• A neighbor found suspicious items in his yard, including a bloody charging cord and clumps of blonde hair.
• Nicole's bloody clothes, purse and cell phone were found near a highway off-ramp close to where her body was discovered.

Based on Nicole's cell phone data and the evidence gathered, investigators theorized that Nicole had actually returned home that night. They believed Doug and Nicole got into an altercation when he returned home, resulting in her death. They suspected Doug then transported her body to the farm using her own vehicle.

This theory was supported by statements from Doug's ex-girlfriend Rebecca, who told police Doug had a history of violence:

"We got in a fight, he tackled me and I broke my ankle... There was an incident that was reported to the Green Bay Police Department where he was choking me. He put the sheet from my bed into my mouth, like as much as he could until I couldn't breathe."

Nicole's sister Heather also shared concerning details about the couple's "rocky" relationship, saying Nicole had recently confided that Doug had been physically abusive.

Doug is Arrested

Just three days after Nicole's death, Doug was arrested and taken to the county jail. However, he was never formally charged with murder. After about three weeks in custody, Doug was released due to lack of evidence.

Several key pieces of evidence had come to light that conflicted with the theory of Doug's guilt:

• Nicole's vehicle was confirmed to have not left the garage the weekend she was killed, contradicting the idea that Doug used it to transport her body.
• The blood found in Nicole's car actually belonged to her daughter Michaela.
• The blood on the garage floor and Doug's shoe was determined to be from a turkey, likely from a recent hunting trip.
• Most significantly, DNA swabs taken from Nicole's body did not match Doug. Instead, they pointed to an unknown male suspect.

A New Suspect Emerges

When the unknown DNA profile was run through a national database, it came back as a match to 38-year-old George Steven Burch. At 6'7" and 270 pounds, Burch was nicknamed "Big Country."

Burch had an extensive criminal history dating back to 2001, including an arrest in connection with a murder for which he was ultimately acquitted. At the time of Nicole's death, Burch was living in Green Bay in violation of conditions that required him to remain in Virginia.

Investigators discovered Burch was also a suspect in a hit-and-run incident involving a stolen vehicle that occurred just days after Nicole's murder. When the vehicle was recovered, the front seat had been set on fire - possibly in an attempt to destroy evidence.

On September 7, 2016, Burch was brought in for questioning about Nicole's murder. He denied any involvement and claimed he had been at a bar called Richard Craniums, about half a mile from the Sardine Can, on the night Nicole disappeared. After asking for a lawyer, Burch refused to answer any more questions.

However, Burch's cell phone data told a different story. On the night Nicole was killed, it showed:

• Burch left Richard Craniums at 2:30 am
• He arrived near Nicole's home at 3:01 am
• He remained there for about an hour, leaving at 3:52 am
• He then drove to the farm field where Nicole's body was found
• Next he went to the highway off-ramp where her clothes were discovered
• He returned home around 4:22 am

Based on this evidence, George Burch was charged with first-degree murder of Nicole Vanderhyden on September 16, 2016. He pleaded not guilty.

The Trial

Burch's trial began on February 19, 2018. The prosecution's case centered on the DNA evidence and cell phone data placing Burch with Nicole during her final hours. They argued Burch had likely assaulted Nicole when she refused his sexual advances.

The defense tried to cast doubt by suggesting Doug Detrie was still a viable suspect. They pointed to his alleged history of domestic violence and questioned why he waited so long to report Nicole missing.

In a surprising move, Burch chose to testify in his own defense. He claimed he had met Nicole at the bar and she had willingly gone with him to have sex. According to Burch, they were interrupted when Doug Detrie suddenly appeared and knocked Burch unconscious. Burch said when he awoke, Nicole was dead and Doug forced him at gunpoint to help dispose of her body.

However, the prosecution effectively challenged this story, noting the lack of injuries on Doug and absence of Burch's blood at the scene. They argued Burch's account was "ridiculous" and "insulting to [the jury's] intelligence."

The Verdict

After just three hours of deliberation, the jury found George Steven Burch guilty of first-degree intentional homicide on March 1, 2018.

At sentencing, Judge John Zakowski described the crime as "the most heinous in Brown County's history." He stated:

"It's hard to wrap that concept around when you could brutally murder this woman, drop the body off in a field, and then hours later go on a boat and be smiling like nothing happened, like you didn't have a care in the world. How can we explain that? That isn't human."

Burch was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His subsequent appeal was dismissed by the Supreme Court in June 2021.

Conclusion

The murder of Nicole Vanderhyden was a shocking crime that devastated a family and community. While the investigation initially focused on the wrong suspect, advances in DNA technology and digital evidence ultimately led police to the true killer.

The case serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in homicide investigations and the importance of following the evidence, even when it leads in unexpected directions. It also highlights how quickly a night of celebration can turn deadly when a predator sees an opportunity.

Nicole Vanderhyden was described by loved ones as a devoted mother with a bright future ahead of her. While nothing can undo the tragedy of her loss, her family can take some solace in knowing her killer will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeX68qcVC7c