SOUTH WAYNE - A Waukesha man, 31-year-old Jaren Michael Kuester, was jailed in Lafayette County early Monday in connection to a triple homicide at a home on Philippine Road in Wiota township.
Gary Thoreson, 70, his wife Chloe Thoreson, 66, and his brother Dean Thoreson, 76, were discovered Sunday morning at the home, located in the 9000 block of Philippine Road on a stretch of rural road amid scenic rolling hills near Woodford, after a family member reported finding one deceased person in the home at about 9:30 a.m. Deputies responded and found two more deceased people at the residence.
At 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Lafayette County Sheriff Scott Pedley issued a news release saying a "person of interest" had been located in the case. "Law enforcement officers are in contact with the person," Pedley said in the release. "The danger to our community, as it relates to the homicide investigation, is now over."
Mid-day Monday, Pedley announced Kuester had been detained at the Lafayette County Jail in Darlington since 2 a.m., in connection to the homicides. He was found in Waukesha Sunday afternoon.
"Kuester was located by Waukesha Police based on information provided to them by Lafayette County Sheriff's officials. The blue 1998 Ford pickup truck belonging to one of the homicide victims has also been seized and it, too, was located in a parking lot in Waukesha, adjacent to an apartment building in which Kuester was located," Pedley said in the release.
The victims' names were not released until Monday morning, following an investigation by the coroner.
"The identification process has been delayed due to the very extensive amount of crime scene evidence needing to be collected," Pedley said.
Pedley declined to answer other questions about the homicides, including the manner of death, however he did say Kuester did not know the victims.
"The person of interest did not know them in advance," Pedley said.
Kuester was being sought by the Green County Sheriff's Department late Saturday. The department issued a missing/endangered person alert for Kuester in the Browntown area. He had last been seen about 3:30 p.m. Friday, April 26.
Kuester was bonded out of jail in Waukesha Friday afternoon, according to Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud, and his jail ID bracelet was found near his abandoned vehicle.
The alert seeking Kuester was issued after his vehicle was located in a field on County M in the Town of Cadiz around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Police said Kuester was tracked to the area of Ridge Road and Smock Valley Road, about 1.5 miles from his vehicle. He was believed to be partially naked, as items of clothing were located along his path. Police also said they believed Kuester to "have an altered mental state, and may be disoriented." They advised anyone who saw Kuester to not make contact with him, but to call authorities with his location.
Why Kuester was in this area is a mystery, Skatrud said. He had just been bonded out of jail in Waukesha Friday afternoon, Skatrud said, and his friends and family were concerned about his mental health and that he might be of danger to himself, but not to others.
Marijuana paraphernalia was located in his abandoned vehicle, Skatrud said.
The homicides are still being investigated by the state Crime Lab, Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation and Lafayette County deputies.
Gary Thoreson, 70, his wife Chloe Thoreson, 66, and his brother Dean Thoreson, 76, were discovered Sunday morning at the home, located in the 9000 block of Philippine Road on a stretch of rural road amid scenic rolling hills near Woodford, after a family member reported finding one deceased person in the home at about 9:30 a.m. Deputies responded and found two more deceased people at the residence.
At 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Lafayette County Sheriff Scott Pedley issued a news release saying a "person of interest" had been located in the case. "Law enforcement officers are in contact with the person," Pedley said in the release. "The danger to our community, as it relates to the homicide investigation, is now over."
Mid-day Monday, Pedley announced Kuester had been detained at the Lafayette County Jail in Darlington since 2 a.m., in connection to the homicides. He was found in Waukesha Sunday afternoon.
"Kuester was located by Waukesha Police based on information provided to them by Lafayette County Sheriff's officials. The blue 1998 Ford pickup truck belonging to one of the homicide victims has also been seized and it, too, was located in a parking lot in Waukesha, adjacent to an apartment building in which Kuester was located," Pedley said in the release.
The victims' names were not released until Monday morning, following an investigation by the coroner.
"The identification process has been delayed due to the very extensive amount of crime scene evidence needing to be collected," Pedley said.
Pedley declined to answer other questions about the homicides, including the manner of death, however he did say Kuester did not know the victims.
"The person of interest did not know them in advance," Pedley said.
Kuester was being sought by the Green County Sheriff's Department late Saturday. The department issued a missing/endangered person alert for Kuester in the Browntown area. He had last been seen about 3:30 p.m. Friday, April 26.
Kuester was bonded out of jail in Waukesha Friday afternoon, according to Green County Sheriff Jeff Skatrud, and his jail ID bracelet was found near his abandoned vehicle.
The alert seeking Kuester was issued after his vehicle was located in a field on County M in the Town of Cadiz around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Police said Kuester was tracked to the area of Ridge Road and Smock Valley Road, about 1.5 miles from his vehicle. He was believed to be partially naked, as items of clothing were located along his path. Police also said they believed Kuester to "have an altered mental state, and may be disoriented." They advised anyone who saw Kuester to not make contact with him, but to call authorities with his location.
Why Kuester was in this area is a mystery, Skatrud said. He had just been bonded out of jail in Waukesha Friday afternoon, Skatrud said, and his friends and family were concerned about his mental health and that he might be of danger to himself, but not to others.
Marijuana paraphernalia was located in his abandoned vehicle, Skatrud said.
The homicides are still being investigated by the state Crime Lab, Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation and Lafayette County deputies.