By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — A Dunn County judge has denied a motion to dismiss and has instead found probable cause and bound over for trial a 25-year-old woman charged in connection with a homicide in the Town of Dunn.
Ashley A. Gunder appeared before Judge Rod Smeltzer with her attorney, Bernardo Cueto, for a preliminary hearing March 5.
Gunder is charged with first degree intentional homicide along with Chad D. Turgeson, age 37 and Ryan L. Steinhoff, age 37, in connection with the death of Bruce E. McGuigan, age 37, of Hayward, at N2564 440th Street in the Town of Dunn November 17.
Judge James Peterson set bail at $500,000 cash for each of three defendants during an initial court appearance November 25.
At the time of the preliminary hearing March 5, Gunder remained in custody at the Dunn County jail.
The charge of first degree intentional homicide carries the two modifiers of use of a dangerous weapon and as a party to a crime.
Gunder also is charged with three felony counts of bail jumping.
According to the criminal complaint, Dunn County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call from George Welch, who was at Brian Lindo’s residence on 370th avenue in the Town of Dunn.
When deputies talked to Welch at Lindo’s residence, Welch said there was someone badly injured at his trailer on 440th street in the Town of Dunn.
The two deputies went to Welch’s trailer and used a public address system to ask anyone inside the residence to exit.
A woman, later identified as Ashley Gunder, and a dog emerged from Welch’s residence.
In the second bedroom, deputies discovered a man covered in blood with visible lacerations to his head who was not moving and who was cold to the touch.
The deputies obtained a more detailed statement from Welch, who said while he had been in town, four people had broken into his house. Welch said he knew two of the people. One was “Chad” — later identified as Chad Turgeson — and Little Red, identified as Ashley Gunder. Welch said he did not know another individual, who seemed to be in charge, and that he also did not know the victim, according to the complaint.
Steinhoff is scheduled for another court hearing May 24.
During a court hearing March 5, one of Steinhoff’s attorneys, Matthew Krische, told the court Steinhoff wished to change his plea to not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, according to online court records.
Turgeson was scheduled for another court hearing March 9.
