Lead volunteer in search for Kelly Dwyer calls homicide charges against Kris Zocco "a relief"

Lead volunteer in search for Kelly Dwyer calls homicide charges against Kris Zocco “a relief”

MILWAUKEE -- The City of Milwaukee came together to search for 27-year-old Kelly Dwyer after she disappeared in October of 2013. One of the lead volunteers said he was relieved Monday, May 8th to learn charges have now been charged against Kris Zocco for Dwyer's death. He said the homicide charges against Zocco bring some peace to Dwyer's family.

The question, "Where is Kelly Dwyer?" was answered on May 1st, 2015 -- when Dwyer's body was discovered near a quiet, dead-end street in rural Jefferson County -- initially mistaken for deer bones.

Kelly Dwyer's body found in Jefferson County in May 2015

Nearly four years after she disappeared, Zocco now faces first degree reckless homicide, hiding a corpse and strangulation and suffocation charges.

Kris Zocco

The 16-page complaint says "the three-and-a-half year police investigation of this matter has ruled out any other possible suspects and no evidence has been discovered to suggest that anyone other than defendant Kris Zocco could have killed Kelly Dwyer and disposed of her body."

The complaint details Zocco's conflicting stories and also backs up allegations about a sexually violent, dominating past which includes his obsession with bondage, restraint, asphyxia and strangulation.

"It's a relief," Christopher Schwartz said.

Schwartz is the founder of "Operation Locate Our Children." He led multiple massive search efforts during the weeks and months following Dwyer's disappearance.

Christopher Schwartz

"Printed thousands of flyers. We researched a lot of tips. We did endless searches, day in, day out," Schwartz said.

After she was found, Schwartz and Dwyer's family pushed for justice and answers regarding who killed her and why.

"It was something we've been waiting for for a long time," Schwartz said.

Schwartz said Kris Zocco was long suspected in Dwyer's death. He said investigators with Milwaukee Police Department's cold case division said they'd never stop searching for justice.

Kelly Dwyer

"The most important person in this right now is not Kris Zocco. It's Kelly Dwyer -- and her family," Schwartz said.

If convicted of these three new felony charges, Zocco could face up to 76 years in prison. Right now, he is serving 19 years in state prison on unrelated charges after being convicted of 16 counts of possession of child pornography and several drug charges.