Murder Charges Likely This Week Against Wis. Deputy
FITCHBURG, Wis. (WCCO/AP) -- Charges are expected Tuesday against a former Wisconsin deputy arrested for killing his wife and her sister, both Stillwater, Minn. natives.
Andy Steele is only 39-years-old, but retired this summer after he was diagnosed with ALS in June.
He was arrested Friday after police found his wife, Ashlee, in their Fitchburg home, shot to death.
Her sister, Kacee Tollefsbol, was also found with gunshot wounds, and later died in the hospital.
Investigators are baffled by the crime.
It's a double homicide investigation that's hitting close to home.
Crisis counselors are now working with the deputies who knew the accused gunman and his family well.
Sheriff Dave Mahoney says his department is taking this ordeal hard. They are a close-knit community.
"There's a lot of unanswered questions. One of the things we do in this profession is we try to make sense of nonsense," Mahoney said.
Deputies with Dane County had been trying to help their colleague raise money to cover his medical expenses, even taking part in the popular ALS ice bucket challenge.
The sheriff says several of them had spoken with Steele the day before the killings and had no indication anything was wrong.
Jeff Meyer is the pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Fitchburg.
"It's difficult, it's tragic, it's horrible. All the adjectives you can use to describe it," Meyer said.
Andy and Ashley Steele have two children.
She was a pre-school teacher at the couple's church in Fitchburg. Her co-workers are shocked and saddened.
Karen Hettenbach is Christ Lutheran Preschool Director. She worked closely with Ashlee.
"We are rallying together as I know we would and as I know Ashlee would want us to do," Hattenbach said.
Ashlee's sister Kacee had just gotten married this summer. She lived in Lake Elmo, Minn. She and her husband have four kids.
Other family members and friends have come together to try to help the deceased sisters' children.
"I just want them to grow up knowing what a loving, awesome mom they had, and that she would not want them to have this be the defining part of their life and they need to go lead the life that she would want for them," Hattenbach said.
A lieutenant with the Fitchburg police department told WCCO that Andrew Steele is currently in the hospital. He has been since his arrest.
His injuries are described as non-life-threatening, but consistent with what are sometimes self-inflicted wounds.
Again, charges are expected Tuesday.
A funeral is planned this week in Minnesota for two sisters who were fatally shot in Wisconsin.
An obituary notice says a celebration of life will be held Friday at 2 p.m. for 39-year-old Ashlee Steele and 38-year-old Kacee Tollefsbol. The service will take place at the Church of St. Michael in Stillwater, Minn.
A fund has been set up to help the victim's children.
Donations can be made to the Ashlee Steele Memorial Fund, to benefit of her children, by calling or visiting any Wells Fargo branch and referring to the account #6584216003.
To see more information, click here.
Donations can be made to the Kacee Tollefsbol Memorial Fund, to benefit of her children, by calling or visiting any Wells Fargo branch and referring to the account #6584215997.
To see more information, click here.
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