An Owatonna man was sentenced to serve life in prison on Thursday in connection with the murder of a Minneapolis woman over 50 years ago.

Genetic testing led to the arrest of now 84-year-old Jon Miller this past November. Miller pleaded “no contest” to one count of first-degree murder, which has a mandatory life sentence. He must also pay $2,200 in restitution and over $480 to cover the cost of extraditing him to Wisconsin.

Mary Schlais was 25 years old, hitchhiking from Minneapolis to Chicago for an art show, when she was fatally stabbed in February 1974.

Decades after her death, Miller admitted to stabbing Schlais and then leaving her body on a road in Dunn County. Investigators say DNA left from a stocking cap that was left at the scene led to Miller’s arrest.

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When confronted by investigators about his DNA being found in the hat, Miller admitted to picking her up and told investigators she denied his sexual advances — and that’s when he killed her.

Photos and videos of Schlais were shown in court Thursday.

She was described as an artist with a “bright future” who graduated from the University of Minnesota with honors.

“Solving this crime has not been easy,” said a prosecutor for the case. “Numerous investigators over the years have worked diligently on this case, attempting to bring closure to the Schlais family.”

The prosecutor added that the break in the case came when investigators were able to create a DNA profile from the stocking cap — which was a match for Miller.

The court was also shown a video of Miller initially denying knowing about Schlais’ murder during an interview with investigators, adding that he didn’t know how his DNA got to be at the scene.

Moments later, Miller admits to the murder.

“Alright, I did it,” he told the investigator. “I put her in the snowbank.”

The prosecutor spoke about Miller’s lack of remorse, the brutality of the crime and the fact that several of Schlais’ family members died without getting closure.

“Life in prison, frankly, doesn’t seem like enough. But it is the only thing this court can order,” she said.

Miller declined to speak at the sentencing.

Nina Mary Schlais, Mary’s niece, read a statement after the sentencing.

“While no verdict can undo the pain of losing Mary, we take comfort in knowing the man responsible for her murder has been held accountable,” she said, in part. “Mary Schlais was more than a victim. She was a brilliant, independent woman, a gifted artist, an equestrienne, a world traveler and a scholar. She graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota and had ambitious plans to continue her studies, teach and make a lasting impact through her art.”

“For decades, our family lived with unanswered questions, but thanks to the tireless efforts of dedicated individuals, we now have those answers,” she added. “We are profoundly thankful to the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department[…]”

She also expressed gratitude for the genealogy work that led to Miller’s arrest.

Click below to watch a 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS story from Jan. 30, 2009, covering the cold case.