(WFRV) – Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz joined Local 5 to talk about multiple topics ranging from a 1985 cold case to a record number of overdose deaths in the latest Community Update.

Sheriff Matz talked about the number of overdose deaths in Winnebago County. In 2020 there were 37 overdose deaths and Matz says they are on pace for 42 in 2021. Some of the reasons for the number of overdose deaths he provided are the lack of treatment facilities, the large supply of drugs, mental health and a lack of accountability.

Heroin and meth are the two leaders, and fentanyl is almost always found in every cause of death. Matz mentions the lack of accountability for those who are using and selling drugs.

He also discusses the possibility of expunging records later once someone shows they are drug-free instead of the second, third and fourth chance they are given.

A 1985 cold case in Winneconne is in the process of using advanced technology to possibly discover more information. Back in 1985 some teenagers were diving for bottles and ended up finding human remains. Initially, it was determined that the remains were archaeological, but recently it was found out the remains were modern.

Matz says the remains were sent off to a lab in Oklahoma and possibly later to one in Texas. The next step is to identify the remains through DNA. They currently know it is a female, but don’t know the cause of death.

The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office is also looking to fill some open positions. Matz mentions that many people that left are leaving the profession altogether. One of the speedbumps in the jump is the requirement of nights, weekends and holidays.