MattC
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Link to story: http://www.madison.com/wsj/mad/top/index.php?ntid=76579
THU., MAR 16, 2006 - 11:41 PM
Two are shot after breaking into rural home
DOUG ERICKSON [email protected]
TOWN OF ARGYLE - Two people who broke into a rural home near Blanchardville early Thursday were shot by the home's owner, according to the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department.
The home invasion at 16971 Highway N apparently left at least one person dead, although officials would say little about the incident.
Late Thursday, the home, a remodeled creamery at the bottom of a tree-covered bluff, remained cordoned off with police tape. Half a dozen officials milled about, including Lafayette Deputy Coroner Rudy Gebhardt.
Asked if a dead body was still in the house, Gebhardt said, "I'm still here, aren't I?"
The home invasion was reported at 3:15 a.m. Thursday. According to court records, Brad and Jeanna Fandrich live at the residence, although the two are in the midst of a divorce.
Sheriff Scott Pedley said in a press release the public isn't at risk.
"This incident is isolated specifically to the one residence in rural Blanchardville," he said, "and there are no known suspects related to this who are at large in the county."
Neighbors said the couple were new to the area in the last year or so and kept to themselves.
"No one around here knows them," said Rani Ihus, who lives on the other side of the bluff. "We don't even know their names."
Douglas Kehm, who lives about a half-mile away, said he met the male resident of the home just once, about six months ago when the man bought popcorn from his son during a fundraising drive. "They were nice people, friendly," he said.
The incident has made Kehm think harder about his family's security. "I probably should start locking the doors at night," he said.
Kathy Clark, who lives less than a mile from the crime scene, said she was surprised and a little miffed that she had not heard anything from officials all day.
"Do we have to worry about being in our homes now?" she said. "We've not been told anything. Why didn't the police stop by here? You'd think they'd want to know if we'd seen or heard anything."
She and her husband moved to the area three years ago from an urban area in Illinois thinking they'd be safer. "This takes away your comfort zone," she said.
The state's mobile crime lab was called to the scene along with members of the state Division of Criminal Investigation. Pedley said the investigation would continue throughout Thursday evening and resume early today.
"It is absolutely essential to the success of this investigation and for officer safety purposes to withhold additional information while this extensive investigation is continuing," he said.
Staff reporters George Hesselberg and Elizabeth Wachowski contributed to this report.
THU., MAR 16, 2006 - 11:41 PM
Two are shot after breaking into rural home
DOUG ERICKSON [email protected]
TOWN OF ARGYLE - Two people who broke into a rural home near Blanchardville early Thursday were shot by the home's owner, according to the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department.
The home invasion at 16971 Highway N apparently left at least one person dead, although officials would say little about the incident.
Late Thursday, the home, a remodeled creamery at the bottom of a tree-covered bluff, remained cordoned off with police tape. Half a dozen officials milled about, including Lafayette Deputy Coroner Rudy Gebhardt.
Asked if a dead body was still in the house, Gebhardt said, "I'm still here, aren't I?"
The home invasion was reported at 3:15 a.m. Thursday. According to court records, Brad and Jeanna Fandrich live at the residence, although the two are in the midst of a divorce.
Sheriff Scott Pedley said in a press release the public isn't at risk.
"This incident is isolated specifically to the one residence in rural Blanchardville," he said, "and there are no known suspects related to this who are at large in the county."
Neighbors said the couple were new to the area in the last year or so and kept to themselves.
"No one around here knows them," said Rani Ihus, who lives on the other side of the bluff. "We don't even know their names."
Douglas Kehm, who lives about a half-mile away, said he met the male resident of the home just once, about six months ago when the man bought popcorn from his son during a fundraising drive. "They were nice people, friendly," he said.
The incident has made Kehm think harder about his family's security. "I probably should start locking the doors at night," he said.
Kathy Clark, who lives less than a mile from the crime scene, said she was surprised and a little miffed that she had not heard anything from officials all day.
"Do we have to worry about being in our homes now?" she said. "We've not been told anything. Why didn't the police stop by here? You'd think they'd want to know if we'd seen or heard anything."
She and her husband moved to the area three years ago from an urban area in Illinois thinking they'd be safer. "This takes away your comfort zone," she said.
The state's mobile crime lab was called to the scene along with members of the state Division of Criminal Investigation. Pedley said the investigation would continue throughout Thursday evening and resume early today.
"It is absolutely essential to the success of this investigation and for officer safety purposes to withhold additional information while this extensive investigation is continuing," he said.
Staff reporters George Hesselberg and Elizabeth Wachowski contributed to this report.
