WAUPACA COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – The 31-year-old woman arrested in the case of Jon Morgan, who was reported missing out of Waupaca County in 2020, has been accused of reckless homicide.
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In a criminal complaint acquired by Local 5, Desiree Osman of Antigo faces several charges in the disappearance of Jon Morgan, including first-degree reckless homicide. The charges and potential punishment if convicted are as follows:
- First-Degree Reckless Homicide—Class C Felony
- Up to 40 years in prison and/or $100,000 in fines
- Hiding a Corpse as a Party to a Crime—Class F Felony
- Up to 12.5 years in prison and/or $25,000 in fines
- Delivery of up to 3g of Heroin—Class F Felony
- Up to 12.5 years in prison and/or $25,000 in fines
- Two Counts of Felony Bail Jumping—Class H Felony
- Up to six years in prison and/or $10,000 in fines per count
The complaint alleges that Morgan’s half-sibling told officers on March 9, 2020, that they believed he had overdosed at Osman’s home and had been transported from the home around March 6, 2020.
On March 10, 2020, Osman spoke with a deputy, confirming his presence at her home on March 5, 2020, but did not provide any further information. Osman was interviewed multiple times throughout the investigation.
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During one of those interviews in August 2020, the complaint states that Osman told deputies that she was the last person to have seen Morgan alive, months after she told them they smoked heroin multiple times early on March 6.
Deputies say that she searched on her phone for information about drug overdoses shortly after Morgan died. They say she also tried to call people who she thought might have Narcan.
Deputies say there’s evidence that Osman used another man’s vehicle to move and hide Morgan’s body. Authorities still haven’t been able to locate his body and say that their investigation into what happened continues.
Local 5 News knocked on the door of the residence where Morgan allegedly overdosed. The person who answered said she’s been leasing office space there for about six months and didn’t realize that this was where everything allegedly happened.
Other people in the area who spoke with Local 5 News said they weren’t surprised that officers arrested Osman in connection to Morgan’s death. They said it’s frustrating that it took nearly six years to make an arrest though.
Osman does have a lengthy criminal record and several of her previous cases did involve drugs as well.
Osman is set for her initial court appearance on Friday at 1:30 p.m.
The following statement was provided via the Morgan family:
“For six years, our family has lived with questions no one should have to carry. Jake (Jon) was our son, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend to many. He was part of our everyday lives, and his absence has been felt in every holiday, every birthday, every ordinary day in between.
With the recent charges, there aren’t big dramatic emotions. It’s more complicated than that. There’s sadness. There’s anger. There’s a quiet sense of validation. And there’s exhaustion. We’ve been carrying this for a long time.
We understand the legal process still has to play out, and we respect that. What matters most to us is that Jake is remembered as a person — not just a case. He mattered. He still matters.
We appreciate the work that continued behind the scenes and the people who never forgot about him. We thank the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office, US Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Waushara Co. Sheriff’s Office, WI Division of Criminal Investigation, WI Statewide Intelligence Center, United States Secret Service, FBI, INTERPOL, United States Dept of Homeland Security, United States Customs and Border Protection, New London Police Department, and the other partnering agencies that continued to seek justice for Jake.
Right now, we’re focused on our family and taking this one step at a time. We’re asking for privacy as this moves forward.”
