MONROE — The boyfriend of a missing Monticello mother has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges and was sentenced to jail time but the investigation into the disappearance of the 37-year-old woman continues.
Derek Hammer also faces a host of felony charges this week in Green County, including bail jumping, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver; possession of THC with intent to deliver, maintaining a drug trafficking place, and possession of a firearm as a felon.
He is scheduled to be arraigned on those charges on Thursday, April 21.
Hammer, of Shannon, Ill., has yet to be charged in the girlfriend’s disappearance case. The three disorderly conduct charges are related to a domestic incident involving the missing woman, Melissa Trumpy; and her family in Monticello.
The fleeing and eluding charges came after police in separate incident in October of 2021 clocked Hammer at speeds of over 110 mph on Wis 69 and County H.
District attorney Craig Nolen has asked the judge for a large pool of potential jurors in advance Hammer’s trials. The Trumpy case has — and continues to be — the subject of numerous media reports and assertions by relatives who contend that Hammer was the last person to see Trumpy; and likely knows what happened to her.
Meanwhile, Hammer has also waived extradition from both Carroll County and Stephenson Counties, where he faces additional felonies and where authorities are leading the investigation into Trumpy’s whereabouts. She also has a felony warrant out for her arrest for drug related charges.
The misdemeanor matters last week were handled by judge Faun Marie Phillipson. But this week’s felony proceedings will be handled by another judge. Hammer, through his attorney Michael Shannon Murphy, filed a request for substitution from Phillipson on April 6; and Lafayette County Circuit Judge (Duane) Jorgenson was assigned on April 7, according to Nolen.
Hammer’s sentence for each of the misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges is 90 days in jail, with the sentences for each charge running concurrently and credit given for 45 days in the county jail, where he remains.
“With regard to the felony matters, we have an arraignment scheduled before the Honorable Duane Jorgenson on April 21, 2022 at 11 a.m. and we will be scheduling those matters for trial,” Nolen said in a statement Monday. “Charges are merely an accusation and Mr. Hammer is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”