DC jury finds Steinhoff guilty in Town of Dunn murder, NGI phase started Monday
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — A Dunn County jury has found Ryan L. Steinhoff guilty in the murder of Bruce E. McGuigan in the Town of Dunn in November of 2020 following Steinhoff’s plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
Jury selection in the Steinhoff trial began November 14, and the jury delivered a verdict of guilty on all counts November 22 after about two hours of deliberation.
Dunn County Circuit Court Judge James Peterson is presiding over the Steinhoff trial.
Steinhoff, age 39, is charged with first degree intentional homicide with the modifiers of as a party to a crime, use of a dangerous weapon and as a repeat offender as well as two felony counts of bail jumping as a repeat offender and one misdemeanor count of retail theft of less than $500 as a party to a crime and as a repeat offender.
First degree intentional homicide carries a penalty of life in prison.
Steinhoff pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect on March 14, 2022.
Section 971.15 of the Wisconsin Statutes defines not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, which is also referred to as “NGI.”
A defendant can be considered NGI if the defendant lacks the capacity to understand his or her conduct was wrong and is so ill, he or she cannot understand what has been done is illegal.
A defendant also can be considered NGI if the person is so ill, he or she cannot control his or her actions.
In the case of a trial where a defendant has pleaded NGI, the prosecution must prove the person is guilty of the crime, and it is then up to the defendant to convince the jury that he or she is not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
The next phase of the trial for Steinhoff to present his case to the jury that he is not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect began at 8:30 a.m. Monday, November 28.
Turgeson and Gunder
Chad D. Turgeson, age 39, and Ashley A. Gunder, age 25, also were charged with McGuigan’s murder.
Turgeson was found not guilty by a Dunn County jury in July of this year, and Judge James Peterson dismissed the count of first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime related to the death of McGuigan, age 37, of Hayward, at N2564 440th Street in the Town of Dunn November 17, 2020.
Turgeson also was charged with one count of retail theft, and the jury found him guilty on the misdemeanor.
Turgeson had seven or eight months of credit for time served, and Judge Peterson sentenced him to six months with six months of time served for the retail theft.
Judge Peterson also ordered Turgeson to pay $463 in court costs to be paid within 60 days.
Gunder pleaded “no contest” and was found guilty of first degree reckless homicide and sentenced by Judge Christina Mayer in December of 2021 to 25 years of initial confinement in prison and 10 years of extended supervision.
The original case against Steinhoff before Judge Mayer was dismissed in March of this year and was refiled and assigned to Judge James Peterson.
Claim
Steinhoff filed a “notice of injury and claim” against Dunn County for $2 million in June of 2021, alleging that the sheriff’s department inappropriately used his mental health records and intercepted confidential attorney-client communications.
The Dunn County Board denied the claim at the regular meeting July 28, 2021.
According to the background information included with the resolution denying the claim, “No action on this claim may be brought against Dunn County after six months from the date of service of notice of the disallowance, pursuant to Wis. Stat. 893.80.”
Steinhoff prelim
Sergeant Travis Mayer with the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department testified during Steinhoff’s preliminary hearing in December of 2020 that on November 17, sheriff’s department 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, Sergeant Mayer said.
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 sergeant said.
Welch
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, Sergeant Mayer said.
Welch said he was told not to go to the bedroom because someone was being “schooled” and that he had heard noises coming from the bedroom, the sergeant testified.
Welch went on to say Turgeson and Steinhoff had been picked up at his residence by Courtney Rice. Rice’s vehicle was located at the AmericInn in Menomonie, and when deputies attempted contact, she went into Room 109. A worker at the motel said he did not know the person’s last name, but the person who had rented the room was named Chad. Steinhoff and Turgeson eventually came to the door when deputies were trying to make contact, and the two were transported to the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department, Sergeant Mayer said.
According to the criminal complaint, a search warrant was executed in Room 109, and Rice was located underneath the sink, covered in bags and clothing.
Weapons
Gunder spoke with law enforcement on multiple occasions during the course of the investigation and on November 20, asked to speak with a female officer, the criminal complaint states.
Gunder spoke with Investigator Merryfield of the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department and said she had broken into Welch’s trailer through a window and had let the others inside the trailer through the front door. Ryan and Chad were “schooling” the victim, although Gunder said she did not know Steinhoff’s name at the time, Sergeant Mayer said.
Gunder had been asked for a knife that could be disposed of and that she had found a green handled knife, the sergeant said.
According to the criminal complaint, multiple items were recovered at Welch’s residence that are believed to be the weapons used, including a hammer, knives and a wooden table leg.
Steinhoff admitted to punching the victim and kicking him in the head along with hitting him with the table leg, Sergeant Mayer said.
Gunder said she and Steinhoff had gone to Hayward on November 15 to get the victim, had met Turgeson and had gone to Welch’s, he said.
Steinhoff, who was interviewed several times during the investigation, initially denied being involved but then eventually said he and Turgeson had gone into the bedroom with victim and had gotten into an argument. Steinhoff eventually said he had struck and kicked the victim, according to the complaint.
Gunder’s job was to clean up, and she said she moved items off the victim, including a window, broken glass and a yellow cat litter box, the sergeant testified during the preliminary hearing.
According to the criminal complaint, Gunder told investigators the dog had belonged to the victim and would have a tag containing the victim’s address.
The criminal complaint also states Gunder said this was not the first time she had been through something like this but that she has never had to deal with the body and that as far as she knew, the victim was being accused of kidnapping a woman.
