March 4, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.
Female suspect in 2003 Rhinelander homicide waives preliminary hearing
Female suspect in 2003 Rhinelander homicide waives preliminary hearing
Latoya J. Wolf, 33, entered the plea Tuesday after waiving her right to a preliminary hearing.
She is charged with helping her now ex-husband, Shannon Wolf, 40, kill Kenneth "Punky" Wells under the Davenport Street bridge June 24, 2003.
After Branch II judge Michael Bloom accepted Wolf's plea, public defender Chris Gramstrup requested a pretrial conference.
Gramstrup was appointed to the case after it was determined that none of the lawyers with the local public defender's office could take the case due to possible conflicts of interest.
Bloom scheduled the pretrial conference for 10 a.m. April 14.
Wells' body was recovered from the Wisconsin River behind the Trig's Riverwalk Centre on July 1, 2003. Although court records indicate Wolf first told police she had information about Wells' death back in 2012, she was not charged until Jan. 19.
According to court documents, Wolf began giving investigators information concerning Wells' death in February 2012. Subsequent interviews were conducted as recently as March 2014. Wolf's statements are described in the criminal complaint as being very detailed and containing information that only someone who witnessed the death would be able to share.
Wolf told police she witnessed an altercation between Wells and at least one man at a downtown Rhinelander tavern on the night of his death. She also told investigators that her party moved to another establishment after the altercation. Sometime later that night, she said Shannon Wolf lured Wells under the bridge by promising him marijuana. She also admitted to helping place a plastic bag over Wells' head and roll him into the river.
The initial autopsy conducted by an assistant medical examiner in Fond du Lac County revealed that Wells died of "probable freshwater drowning." The manner of death was ruled "undetermined."
Shannon Wolf has also been charged with first-degree intentional homicide (as party to the crime). A preliminary hearing in his case is scheduled for Thursday.
Jamie Taylor may be reached at [email protected].
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