MONROE - Mark Tobin was leading two lives before he was murdered, the Green County Sheriff's Department said Thursday, nearly a year after Tobin was found dead in his home about six miles west of New Glarus.
Tobin, 38, was found dead Nov. 21, 2007, in his home at W7574 Wisconsin 39 in York township, about six miles west of New Glarus. The sheriff's department released new details surrounding his death Thursday. Offices had described his death as drug-related.
Authorities on Thursday said Tobin had a sophisticated indoor marijuana growing operation in a two-story garage on the property. Tobin, they say, had two lives - one involving his family and social acquaintances and the other involving the marijuana operation he kept secret by not allowing anyone, even family members, to enter the garage.
Hundreds of marijuana plants in different stages of growth were seized from the garage, as well as a quantity of processed marijuana. Lighting and growing equipment, packaging, storage and equipment used to power the growing operation also were seized.
Tobin's death was not random, Green County Sheriff Randy Roderick said. Tobin was the intended target of the murder, which remains unsolved. No one is in custody in connection with the murder. Tobin's family offered a $10,000 reward last April for information that leads to the killer. The reward still is in effect.
Tobin's wife, who was attending school in Milwaukee during the week of his death, hadn't heard from him for a couple of days and contacted an acquaintance Nov. 21 to request he check on Tobin.
Tobin was found inside the home and sheriff's deputies were notified a short time later.
Since then, department detectives and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation have continued to investigate.
The initial autopsy report indicated Tobin died of a violent act, but Roderick hasn't expanded on the findings.
For nine days, from Nov. 21 to Nov. 30, the house and area around the house was searched and investigated. Roderick couldn't remember the last time his officers spent so much time at a crime scene.
On Oct. 29, 1993, Tobin was sentenced to one year in prison for being a party to the crime of manufacturing marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. He was released on parole in July 1994.
He resided in a number of different communities until he purchased the rural property in Green County in 2002. Tobin had the home extensively remodeled and constructed the two-story garage on the property next to his home at the intersection of Wis. 39 and County J. Tobin and his wife had owned the home for five years.
Tobin apparently had few local acquaintances and was described as being very secretive and not allowing anyone, not even his family, to enter the two-story garage that he built. He had few visitors that people knew of and the conversations with those visitors were reportedly held in secret.
Identifying the group of secretive visitors has proved to be a challenge and persons that have been identified generally have been less than forthcoming, the sheriff's department said in a news release Thursday.
The search warrant issued in connection with the case remains sealed, as detectives believe releasing the details of the crime scene would compromise the investigation. Detectives obtained the search warrant so evidence collected would not be jeopardized at a future date when a suspect is taken into custody. Detectives continue to evaluate evidence, reports from the Wisconsin State Crime Lab and records seized during the investigation.
Roderick believes Tobin's death was an isolated incident and said the public is not at risk.
Anyone who has information on the homicide of Mark Tobin is encouraged to contact the Green County Sheriff's Department at 328-9400, or if they wish to remain anonymous, Green County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-7463. Questions regarding this updated information can be directed to Chief Deputy Jeff Skatrud at 328-9577.
Tobin, 38, was found dead Nov. 21, 2007, in his home at W7574 Wisconsin 39 in York township, about six miles west of New Glarus. The sheriff's department released new details surrounding his death Thursday. Offices had described his death as drug-related.
Authorities on Thursday said Tobin had a sophisticated indoor marijuana growing operation in a two-story garage on the property. Tobin, they say, had two lives - one involving his family and social acquaintances and the other involving the marijuana operation he kept secret by not allowing anyone, even family members, to enter the garage.
Hundreds of marijuana plants in different stages of growth were seized from the garage, as well as a quantity of processed marijuana. Lighting and growing equipment, packaging, storage and equipment used to power the growing operation also were seized.
Tobin's death was not random, Green County Sheriff Randy Roderick said. Tobin was the intended target of the murder, which remains unsolved. No one is in custody in connection with the murder. Tobin's family offered a $10,000 reward last April for information that leads to the killer. The reward still is in effect.
Tobin's wife, who was attending school in Milwaukee during the week of his death, hadn't heard from him for a couple of days and contacted an acquaintance Nov. 21 to request he check on Tobin.
Tobin was found inside the home and sheriff's deputies were notified a short time later.
Since then, department detectives and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation have continued to investigate.
The initial autopsy report indicated Tobin died of a violent act, but Roderick hasn't expanded on the findings.
For nine days, from Nov. 21 to Nov. 30, the house and area around the house was searched and investigated. Roderick couldn't remember the last time his officers spent so much time at a crime scene.
On Oct. 29, 1993, Tobin was sentenced to one year in prison for being a party to the crime of manufacturing marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. He was released on parole in July 1994.
He resided in a number of different communities until he purchased the rural property in Green County in 2002. Tobin had the home extensively remodeled and constructed the two-story garage on the property next to his home at the intersection of Wis. 39 and County J. Tobin and his wife had owned the home for five years.
Tobin apparently had few local acquaintances and was described as being very secretive and not allowing anyone, not even his family, to enter the two-story garage that he built. He had few visitors that people knew of and the conversations with those visitors were reportedly held in secret.
Identifying the group of secretive visitors has proved to be a challenge and persons that have been identified generally have been less than forthcoming, the sheriff's department said in a news release Thursday.
The search warrant issued in connection with the case remains sealed, as detectives believe releasing the details of the crime scene would compromise the investigation. Detectives obtained the search warrant so evidence collected would not be jeopardized at a future date when a suspect is taken into custody. Detectives continue to evaluate evidence, reports from the Wisconsin State Crime Lab and records seized during the investigation.
Roderick believes Tobin's death was an isolated incident and said the public is not at risk.
Anyone who has information on the homicide of Mark Tobin is encouraged to contact the Green County Sheriff's Department at 328-9400, or if they wish to remain anonymous, Green County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-7463. Questions regarding this updated information can be directed to Chief Deputy Jeff Skatrud at 328-9577.