The Murder of John Aegerter
For this case, I watched an episode of A Stranger In My Home. It’s season 1 episode 6, titled ‘The Killer Clown.’
A businessman doesn’t show up for work, and is found dead in his home.
Background
John Aegerter owned a communications tower business called Air Page Corp., in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. John loved his work, and would work from early in the morning to late at night.
John was a very wealthy man, but he was also frugal. He enjoyed being alone, and would work on his radio and transmitters that he collected, when he wasn’t working.
John was described as eccentric, a loner, and as a hoarder. He collected many items, but didn’t like to throw anything away.
John Aegerter
Some Shady Characters
John didn’t let anyone into his house, unless he was close to them. It struck John’s friends and co-workers odd, when he reunited with an old college friend named Al Hajny, and Al’s wife, Lynn.
Al had worked at a radio station, until he lost his job. Al reached out to John, and was hired to work at Air Page Corp. Al was also a Vietnam War veteran, and suffered from PTSD. Despite not being the same person as he was in college, Al and John worked alongside each other for many years.
There was only one problem: John couldn’t stand Al’s wife Lynn. Lynn didn’t work, but had always had a dream of being a clown. She had performed at parties, and enjoyed the gimmicks of it. Lynn also liked to spend money on extravagant and luxurious items.
By 2005, Lynn was spending all of their money. John hired her to work at Air Page Corp., but it didn’t last long.
Where is John?
After Lynn was fired, John tried to make amends with her and Al. He would invite them over to his house. Lynn seemed to have move past it, however, at home, she was telling Al that John owed him money.
By 2010, Lynn was having several affairs, and she and Al were close to losing their home. Lynn constantly told Al that John owed him money, and that he needed to get the money he was owed.
When Al wouldn’t talk to John about it, Lynn gave John some coupons as a present to make up for their feud. Lynn also called the office asking about John, and even stopped by one day, with some baked goods. All the employees of Air Corp., thought it was bizarre.
On June 21, 2011, a large storm hit the area. Many residents lost power in their homes, due to the lightning and thunder.
John was home alone, and had planned on going into the office early the next morning.
A Welfare Check
On June 22, 2011, John didn’t show up for work. A colleague of John’s called the office, and spoke to an employee and friend of John’s named Jeremy Swenson.
Jeremy tried to contact John, and decided to go over to his house, when there was no answer.
At John’s home, there was no movement inside the house. Jeremy believed something was wrong, so he called the Brookfield police to do a welfare check.
The police had Jeremy climb through the basement window. Jeremy walked through the house, and opened the garage door for the police. Minutes later, the police heard John’s pager go off. They had Jeremy wait inside the house.
John was discovered lying on the floor of the garage. He was wrapped in a sleeping bag, and had plastic bags covering his face. His feet were tied up, and he had duct tape on his face and neck. A cord was also wrapped around John’s neck.
The Suspects
While the police were on the scene, James Adlam, the captain of the Brookfield police, received a call from the nearby New Berlin police department. The other police agency asked if their victim’s name was John. The Brookfield police was then notified that their suspects were in custody.
Lynn Hajny had contacted her cousin, Brenda Eddy, and told her that she had just killed someone. Lynn showed up at Brenda’s house with her boyfriend Tommy Douyette.
What Lynn didn’t know was that Brenda had contacted her husband, who told her to contact the police. While Lynn was at Brenda’s, Brenda received a call from her husband, who told her that the police were at their home, and about to raid the house.
The police entered. Tommy was slammed into the countertop. The police asked Lynn to get down, but she told them that she had PTSD, and couldn't. Brenda said that she had never heard Lynn speak of any PTSD, and knew she was making shit up.
Lynn Hajny and Tommy Douyette were arrested, and taken into custody.
The Murder Plot
While they were in custody, Tommy learned that Lynn was trying to pin everything on him. He told the police that Lynn was the real mastermind, and that she had manipulated him into helping her.
Tommy said that on June 21, they went to John’s, even though they had planned to kill him over the Fourth of July weekend. Lynn lured John out the garage, where Tommy attacked him. He grabbed a cord, and wrapped it around his neck until he couldn’t feel him moving.
John was still moving, and that’s when Lynn grabbed the duct tape, and put it around his neck. They originally planned to put John in a freezer, but he didn’t have one, so they left.
When the police searched Lynn’s computer and phone records, they learned that Tommy wasn’t the only man Lynn had planned this with.
Lynn had been speaking to her other side piece, a man named Mark Finken. In emails, Mark and Lynn spoke about John’s murder, but had used other characters names. They also spoke about dissolving John’s remains, and sprinkling them in Lynn’s rose garden.
Mark Finken committed suicide, but declared his innocence.
The Convictions
On December 15, 2011, Tommy pleaded guilty. He wrote in a 99 page statement that Lynn was the mastermind.
Lynn maintained her innocence, but took an Alford plea. She wasn’t admitting her guilt, but knew that there was enough information to convict her.
On October 9, 2012, Lynn and Tommy were both found guilty of first degree murder.
Tommy was sentenced to 30 years, with 20 years of extended supervision.
Lynn was sentenced to 15 years and 9 months.
A photo of John’s home, along with Lynn and Tommy’s mugshots
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m originally from Wisconsin, and had never heard about this case. Lynn was obviously a greedy monster, and killed the person she thought was standing in the way of her getting more spending money.
I believed Lynn was the mastermind, but she somehow had two other men who were willing to help her take the life of another person. Tommy deserves a lot longer in prison, and so does Lynn.
John deserves to be remembered as someone other than a hoarder. His friends and co-workers thought he was a great person, mentor, and friend. Lynn thought John wouldn’t be missed, but he was. I think Lynn is the one who won’t be missed.
Sources
https://patch.com/wisconsin/brookfield-wi/brookfield-murder-convicts-sentenced-to-prison
https://www.fox6now.com/news/lynn-hajny-agrees-to-plea-deal-in-murder-of-brookfield-businessman
https://www.wisn.com/article/couple-sentenced-in-killing-of-brookfield-man/6311669
