Authorities renew call for help in solving I-43 murder

A year after 41-year-old Joshua Terry was gunned down on the side of I-43 in the Town of Port Washington, authorities have renewed their call for help in finding the person who killed him.

“We know that people saw something happen,” Ozaukee County Sheriff Jim Johnson, who posted a Facebook video asking for the public’s help on Saturday, Oct. 30 — the one-year anniversary of Terry’s murder — said. “Many people came forward with information, and we’re continuing to follow up on several leads.

“You may have seen something that night and thought it was insignificant, but like a puzzle, each bit of information put together provides us with a better picture of what occurred.”

Driving a white 2013 Kia Optima, Terry, a Cedarburg resident, got on I-43 heading north at Highway 32 in Grafton Friday evening, Oct. 30, 2020, and was likely involved in a minor traffic accident between the Saukville and Port Washington exits.

Authorities believe both Terry and the driver of the other vehicle involved in the accident pulled over. Terry got out of his car, was shot and left on the side of the road at about 6:40 p.m.

Terry, a Cedarburg High School graduate, served in the military from 2000 to 2006 as a member of the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing based in Madison and earned a degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2001.

A regular at the Feith Family Ozaukee YMCA in Saukville, Terry, who was 6 feet, 8 inches tall, was described by friends as a gentle giant.

In his message Saturday, Johnson said that while the day is a sad reminder for Terry’s family, it’s also significant for his department.

“While many will be celebrating Halloween, Joshua’s widow will be remembering the day her husband was taken away from her. Joshua’s parents and siblings will mark the day with sadness,” he said.

“The Sheriff’s Office will mark the day as a year without bringing the murderer to justice.”

Anyone with information about Terry’s death is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (262) 284-7172 or send a confidential tip by texting OZSO and a message to 847411.

There is a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.