NORTH FOND DU LAC, Wis. — An 83-year-old Marathon County man has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the 1995 disappearance of James “Jim” Ruland, a case that authorities pursued for more than 30 years. Jerome Baier was arrested early Friday after Fond du Lac County sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant at his home in Marathon County, according to investigators. Prosecutors filed the murder charge in Fond du Lac County. Ruland, who was 40, was last seen in North Fond du Lac on Oct. 24, 1995. Authorities said Baier and Ruland were roommates at the time. The missing-person investigation eventually became a homicide case. Over the years, investigators used police dogs, ground-penetrating radar, aerial searches, large excavations, public safety divers and detectives searching a manure pit at a pig farm in efforts to locate evidence and Ruland’s remains. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office said additional testing of evidence in 2021 corroborated earlier interviews and investigative analysis. That work ultimately contributed to Baier’s arrest, authorities said. The case highlights the long-term effort required to investigate disappearances when evidence is limited and years have passed. Baier’s arrest is an accusation, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Investigators are still asking anyone with information about Ruland’s disappearance or death to contact Lt. Alex Volm at 920-924-2406 or Detective Dave Olig at 920-906-4799. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the Fond du Lac County Law Enforcement Tip Line at 920-906-4777.