WI - Ex-deputy arrested in deaths of his wife, sister-in-law *Mental defect*

[AuntB]

I was considering a more sinister possibility: Did he tell her to put on the mask by saying that he had a "surprise" for her? She would've thought he was putting a necklace around her neck, until it was too late. It's absolutely sickening to type this. :anguish:

Why did he strangle her AND shoot her? Was it harder than he thought to watch her struggle to breathe? Or maybe it wasn't for humane reasons. Maybe she was just putting up too much of a struggle and he shot her to end the fight? Not facts. I'm just speculating.

 

[colette]

I found it hard to believe Ashlee had sleep apnea. If anyone would have that it would be the "als" patient. Maybe he put his mask over her face so he didn't have to look at her. Either that or it was a room darkening mask.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Retired sheriff's deputy with ALS 'plotted murder of his wife and her sister for DAYS' as they raised over $23,000 for his healthcare with ice buck challenge

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...lthcare-ice-buck-challenge.html#ixzz3D4Eo89ZZ

 

[AuntB]

Looks like I was wrong about the sister-in-law being an unintended victim.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/crime_and_courts/prosecutors-say-steele-planned-homicides-would-be-dangerous-if-freed/article_51bea26a-b192-514f-83e8-5f6c3da819ba.html

 

[colette]

From AuntB's link:

...investigators have been told by the sisters’ family that Steele was intent upon having Tollefsbol, who was recently married, visit Fitchburg alone, leaving behind her husband and children in Minnesota.

and...

Steele also signed his will and his wife’s will within 36 hours of the homicides, Raymond wrote, “showing that he had a timeline for the homicides.” She added that Steele had communicated with his parents about care for the Steeles’ two children if Ashlee Steele were no longer around.

Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/...192-514f-83e8-5f6c3da819ba.html#ixzz3D7ltX0Dr

He must have had some grudge against his wife and her sister and decided to take them out while he still had the strength.

 

[AuntB]

Madison.com site says I've used up my complimentary access. Now, I'd have to pay to see the articles.

 

[OkieGranny]

Clear out the cookies on your browser and you'll get your complimentary access back. That's what I do.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/lo...cle_0fda52b7-f341-5578-ac56-ea23ec412fdf.html

A trial for former Dane County sheriff's deputy Andrew Steele, charged with killing his wife and her sister in August, will begin April 13, prosecutors and lawyers for Steele agreed Monday...

Nicholson said in court that, at the time of his arrest, Steele's ALS had progressed to about 30 percent and has progressed another 25 percent since then. She said he is experiencing some difficulty swallowing and breathing and that there might come a time when he will require help to breathe and eat.

But she said he remains mentally clear and she does not plan to ask the court to find him incompetent to stand trial.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/lo...cle_af0e61fe-71a6-555a-91d3-a65f9b241da2.html

A former Dane County sheriff's deputy charged with killing his wife and her sister in August will plead not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, claiming that the terminal illness he suffers from affected his brain, caused poor impulse control and affected his ability to obey the law, according to court papers.

Lawyers for Andrew Steele, 40, of Fitchburg, also claim in disclosures filed Wednesday that medication that Steele was taking for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), along with other medicines, caused involuntary intoxication.

An insanity defense would require a two-phase trial for Steele -- one to establish guilt, and a second to establish whether he was legally responsible for his actions. The involuntary intoxication defense would be part of the first phase of the trial.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/lo...cle_f1c781bf-9970-567c-8727-bd5dee975f37.html

A former Dane County sheriff's deputy charged with killing his wife and sister-in-law formally entered pleas Friday of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to first-degree intentional homicide charges...

Steele also spoke in court, briefly, for the first time since he was charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the murders of his wife, Ashlee Steele, 39, and her sister, Kacee Tollefsbol, 38, at the Steele home in Fitchburg on Aug. 22.

Steele's speech sounded slurred, his tongue thick, as he spoke only to waive his right to review of the statements of potential jurors claiming to be unable to serve during Steele's upcoming three-week trial.

 

[colette]

His insanity defense is a bunch of BS. He just wanted to kill his wife and sister-in-law fast because he knew he was going to go downhill fast. He planned for the sister-in-law to be there and not bring her kids. Totally premediated. He had some grudge and was angry. He knows he is going to die soon and he didn't want for his wife to enjoy life with him gone. IMO

 

[popsicle]

[h=1]Prosecutor: Wisconsin Deputy with Lou Gehrig's Disease Planned to Kill[/h]

The defense also called the victims' sister, Hailee Meisterling, who testified about Steele's behavior on a cruise the families took last year.

"He knew I was getting changed and he came into the room knowing I was getting changed into my swimsuit," Meisterling said. "Another time I was in their room and he just started taking his pants off."

http://kstp.com/news/stories/s3767676.shtml

 

[RLynne]

[h=1]Prosecutor: Wisconsin Deputy with Lou Gehrig's Disease Planned to Kill[/h]

http://kstp.com/news/stories/s3767676.shtml

I was just coming here to post some updates, popsicle!

The video with this story: http://www.channel3000.com/news/steeles-brotherinlaw-steele-said-when-i-go-we-all-go/32401994 has some of the 911 call made by Kacee.

This: http://www.channel3000.com/news/steele-decides-not-to-testfy/32402456 is a brief video of Steele waiving his right to testify during the defense's case in chief (he could potentially testify in rebuttal). (As an aside, because he pled guilty, but NGI -- the defense has the burden of proof, which is why they went first, and have the rebuttal -- opposite of a usual trial). His speech has really deteriorated.

There was a note that was found on his phone. Another one of the local news websites posted the text of it (it was either WKOW or NBC 15), but I really don't want to post it here -- it feels slanderous towards the victims, and I kind of wish I hadn't read it. But if you google around you should be able to find it.

Also as an aside -- many years ago, I did screenings, inside the jail, for the State Public Defender's office, to see if inmates financially qualified for SPD representation. I actually went inside the jail, and would talk to folks in the holding cells through the meal tray slots (that was fun). Because I was inside the secure portions of the jail, I had a fair amount of interaction with the deputies who worked there. There was one deputy that I swore was flirting with me, repeatedly -- I remember talking with a friend about how I would respond if he asked me out, because I thought he was kinda cute. I'm 80% sure it was Steele, which now really, really squicks me out.

 

[colette]

From RLynne's link:

Steele’s brother-in-law: Steele said, ‘When I go we all go’

http://www.channel3000.com/news/steeles-brotherinlaw-steele-said-when-i-go-we-all-go/32401994

Here is some video of the sister of the victims on the stand.

http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/Shooting-in-Fitchburg-272332271.html


The defense is trying to say all 3 had a suicide pact, if that was true why did Kacee (the sister-in-law) call 911 for help and never said anything about a "pact"?

Jurors also heard Tollefsbol's 911 call in which she told a dispatcher that she had been shot in the back by Steele. In the background, an alarm wails, likely triggered by charcoal that Steele burned in a portable fire pit in the laundry room of the Fitchburg home.

Tollefsbol, breathing heavily, urged rescuers to hurry, but as the nine-minute call goes on her voice fades as she tells the dispatcher, "I'm dying, I'm dying."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-wisconsin-deputy-on-trial-for-murders-of-wife-sister-in-law/

 

[luckyseven]

Andrew Steele found not guilty by mental defect for killings of wife and sister-in-law

http://journaltimes.com/news/state-...cle_79cc7b38-27aa-5e88-9deb-479223864d99.html

 

[colette]

What a bunch of BS. He knew what he was doing. The only thing good about this case is he won't have long in this world.

 

[pappa rob]

Andrew Steele found not guilty by mental defect for killings of wife and sister-in-law

http://journaltimes.com/news/state-...cle_79cc7b38-27aa-5e88-9deb-479223864d99.html

If that's the case then he should be put in an institution for the rest of his life. I don't think you can "fix" a mental defect!

 

[OkieGranny]

http://wislawjournal.com/2015/05/25/former-deputy-committed-in-slaying-of-wife-sister-in-law/

A judge has committed a former Dane County sheriff’s deputy with Lou Gehrig’s disease to a mental health institution after a jury earlier found he was not legally responsible for killing his wife and sister-in-law.

Dane County Circuit Court Judge Nicholas McNamara ruled Friday Andrew Steele is a danger to himself and others, should not be released and instead sent to an institution for the foreseeable future.

 

[AuntB]

Thanks to all who've posted links. I've been away from websleuths for months, but this was the first thread I checked today upon my return. This case really mystifies me. I have so many unanswered questions; I wish I could read the court transcripts or watch the trial footage to better understand how the defense sold insanity/how the prosecution lost this case.

Source: Journal Times (April 23, 2015) as linked above by luckyseven

Steele felt slighted by his wife’s family, which declined to help financially because, Ashlee was told, her husband wasn’t a member of their family. Losing control of his life, he decided to regain it by dying on his own terms, “like a rock star,” Raymond said, taking with him his wife and her sister.

BBM. That's some seriously bad blood between her parents and their son-in-law.

 

[AuntB]

Lawyers for a former Dane County Sheriff's Deputy who killed his wife and sister-in-law are asking for his release from the Mendota Mental Health Institute.

http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/Shooting-in-Fitchburg-272332271.html

Steele is not on a ventilator, but doctors have told his attorney it could be as little as a few weeks before he may need to be placed on one.

http://www.wkow.com/story/30607476/2015/11/25/andrew-steeles-attorney-petitions-for-his-release