OFFICE OF THE RAMSEY COUNTY ATTORNEY
John J. Choi, County Attorney
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345 Wabasha Street, Suite 120, St. Paul, MN 55102-1432
Telephone 651-266-3322 Fax 651-266-3015
NEWS RELEASE
March 16, 2017
Contact: Dennis Gerhardstein, 651 266-3074
(Cell) 651 600-1830
Ramsey County Attorney’s Office files charges against killer of
elderly Saint Paul woman in 30 year old ‘cold case’
Saint Paul – Today, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office charged Michael Anthony Withers
with two counts of Murder in the 2nd Degree in connection with the February 1, 1987 death of
Saint Paul resident Lillian Kuller, age 81. The criminal charges come as a result of a yearlong
cold case review combined with additional DNA tests that affirmatively matched the defendant’s
profile to evidence found at the scene.
“Every cold case represents unachieved justice for our community and uncertainty for surviving
family and friends. Each case weighs heavily on the minds of police investigators and
prosecutors. We have proven, through intentional efforts, dedication and hard work, that these
cases can be solved - especially with the evolution of forensic testing and investigator training,”
said Ramsey County Attorney John Choi. “I could not be more pleased to be in a position to
thank the BCA, the Saint Paul Police Department, and my dedicated staff for their commitment
and hard work to bring closure and justice to the family of Lillian Kuller.”
According to the complaint, Saint Paul Police responded to a call at regarding a deceased woman
in the lower level of a duplex in the Macalester Groveland neighbored. After speaking with two
renters from the upstairs unit, officers entered the ransacked apartment of Lillian Kuller and
found her deceased in her bedroom with a pillow over her head. While there were no signs of
forced entry, investigators noted a window open in the den more than a foot wide. Despite
multiple interviews and apparent evidence of a burglary at the residence, investigators were not
able to identify a suspect at that time.
As part of a cold case review in 2010, the Saint Paul Police Department asked the BCA to run
forensic tests against some of the evidence collected during the initial investigation. Their results
yielded two matches, one female as well as Withers. Investigators interviewed the female, who
denied any involvement, but could neither rule her out nor link her directly to the case. In 2013,
the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office found that the existing evidence was not sufficiently
conclusive and declined the case.
As part of a larger effort to review cold cases that were declined for prosecution, County
Attorney Choi asked his Criminal Division Director to review the Kuller case with fresh eyes on
the evidence. Assistant County Attorney Andrew Johnson, who led the review and successful
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conviction of the Norman Bachman cold case in 2015, enlisted help from an investigator in the
county attorney’s office. Together, they determined that ordering a Y-chromosome test from the
BCA would bolster DNA evidence against the defendant gathered in 2012, assuming the test
yielded a match to Withers. On March 13, that test came back positive for a match.
The criminal complaint outlines the defendant’s relevant convictions starting in 1985. Withers is
currently serving a 68 month sentence in Stillwater prison for two 2014 burglary convictions.
It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed
innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Note: Ramsey County Attorney John Choi is available for comment. Please call Dennis Gerhardstein
if you would like to arrange for an interview.