Vossen dies, charges in Mae Herman murder dismissed
Murder charges have been dropped against a former Willmar man accused of killing Mae Herman in her Willmar home in 1974. Algene Vossen, age 81, most recently of Des Moines Iowa, died on May 15.
Vossen was originally questioned after the January 1974 stabbing death of Herman but not arrested. Shortly afterward he moved out of state. In July of 2020 a cold case unit found out Vossen was in Sioux Falls and matched his DNA with DNA left at the murder scene, and he was arrested.
In November 2021 when Judge Stephen Wentzell ruled that he was not competent to stand trial, after Vossen displayed signs of dementia and confusion. This past February Vossen was ordered civilly committed to a mental health facility until, or if, he was ever able to be criminally tried.
According to KWLM, on May 23, 1st Assistant Kandiyohi County Attorney Kristen Pierce moved to dismiss the criminal charges against him. All records and documents connected with the case will be destroyed unless someone claims them before June 7.
