Investigators recently completed a large excavation at the home where 5-year-old Robert "Bobby Joe" Fritz lived when he disappeared in Campbellsport, Wisconsin, on May 14, 1983. About 500 five-gallon buckets of dirt — roughly 30,000 pounds — were hand-sifted from the basement, yielding items now sent for forensic analysis. No human remains were found, but authorities say the recovered material may produce new leads. Detectives continue to interview previously unspoken witnesses and request that anyone with information contact Detective Tyler Tikkanen or the Fond du Lac County Tip Line.
Massive Excavation Yields New Evidence in 1983 Disappearance of 5‑Year‑Old Bobby Joe Fritz
Robert "Bobby Joe" Fritz.Credit: Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office/Facebook
Wisconsin investigators say a large excavation at the home where 5-year-old Robert "Bobby Joe" Fritz lived when he vanished in 1983 has produced new material now slated for laboratory analysis.
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at the residence and described the items uncovered under that warrant as "potential evidence," which prompted a larger-scale excavation at the property on July 21.
What investigators did
Authorities removed and processed approximately 500 five-gallon buckets of dirt by hand from the home's basement. The agency said that equated to roughly 30,000 pounds of soil that was sifted and searched by hand. While no human remains were found during the operation, investigators recovered several items of interest that will undergo further forensic testing.
Case background
Robert "Bobby Joe" Fritz, then 5 years old, disappeared from Campbellsport, Wisconsin, on May 14, 1983. According to a Wisconsin Department of Justice flier, he was playing outside with siblings and vanished during a roughly two-hour window between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Ongoing investigation
Officials say the excavation follows a year of renewed investigative activity, including a thorough search of the residence's basement and interviews with witnesses who had not previously been questioned. The case remains an active, open investigation as forensic testing continues and detectives follow leads.
Note: The sheriff's office used the alternate spelling "Bobby Jo" in its public statement; official records and the Wisconsin Department of Justice flier use "Bobby Joe."
How to help
Investigators urge anyone with information related to the disappearance to contact Detective Tyler Tikkanen at 920-929-3384. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the Fond du Lac County Tip Line at 920-906-4777. Authorities say even small details could prove critical as laboratory analysis and follow-up interviews proceed.
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office issued a public update confirming the recovered items will be processed and analyzed to determine whether they advance the decades-old investigation.
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