ruttinbuc Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Waupaca, Wis. / Three arrested in deer thrill kill Sheriff says tips aided in search for the suspects By Rober Imrie - Associated Press Three Weyauwega men accused of corralling and running over deer with snowmobiles have been arrested in what a state official described Thursday as an unprecedented thrill killing. "There could be more arrests. We feel we have the main players at this point," Waupaca County Sheriff Brad Hardel said. Nicholas Hermes, 22, was charged Thursday with five felony counts of being a party to mistreatment of animals. Brothers Robby Kuenzi, 23, and Rory Kuenzi, 24, have been arrested but have not been formally charged because the paperwork isn't done, Hardel said. The brothers could be charged today, he said. Four deer were found dead Saturday near a snowmobile trail about five miles south of Waupaca, where a herd of about 40 deer were known to gather. A fifth deer was severely injured and euthanized, authorities said. One deer had its stomach ripped open by a snowmobile that stopped on top of it and then quickly took off, said Ted Dremel, a state Department of Natural Resources warden. Another deer had been tied to a tree, where it strangled itself trying to get free. The killings outraged snowmobilers, hunters and others, and a reward fund topped $12,000 before the arrests were announced Thursday. Investigators received numerous tips that helped break the case, but no reward money has been dispensed yet, Hardel said. One tip led investigators to Hermes, who worked at a dairy business. He told them he accidentally hit a deer Friday night while snowmobiling with his girlfriend and the Kuenzi brothers, according to a criminal complaint. Hermes then saw the brothers chasing and running over deer with their snowmobiles, he told investigators. Rory Kuenzi dragged one deer behind his snowmobile and then tied it to a tree near a road, he said. Hermes told investigators he tried to get the brothers to stop hitting deer, and he hit one or two only accidentally. Hermes changed his story to investigators at least once, and his girlfriend, Emily Scofner, 18, gave a slightly different version, the complaint said. Scofner told investigators all three of the men were chasing the deer. Scofner said Robby Kuenzi hit a deer first, and then his brother and Hermes hit it. The men later rode into a field where all three chased deer with their snowmobiles, she said. After they finished chasing the deer, the men talked about coming back to get one to eat. That's when Rory Kuenzi dragged a deer to a tree and left it, Scofner said. She said she thought the deer was already dead and did not realize it was tied to the tree. The dead deer included two bucks and three does. One was a fawn. State wildlife officials have documented 17 thrill killings of wildlife in recent months, but they've never seen a snowmobile used as the weapon, DNR regional warden Byron Goetsch said at a Thursday afternoon news conference. He described the incident as unprecedented. "It is an unfortunate trend. We have to look to see why these things are occurring," he said. "Something like this is not normal behavior and would suggest it could lead to other things." What's known as "indiscriminate killing" generally involves males in their early 20s. They have used baseball bats, vehicles and guns, the incidents occur after dark, and the killers disregard their own safety, Goetsch said. No alcohol was involved in the Waupaca incident, Hardel said at the news conference. One snowmobile used in the roundup had been stolen Dec. 26 from a bowling alley in nearby Manawa and later abandoned, the criminal complaint said. Rory Kuenzi also faces a felony theft charge after telling people the snowmobile he was riding that night was "borrowed." Investigators found another snowmobile with blood and deer fur on it during a search of Hermes' home, the complaint said. Hardel said a third snowmobile also was seized. Judge Raymond Huber set a signature bond of $15,000 for Hermes on Thursday in Waupaca County Circuit Court, the district attorney's office said. Hermes was released from jail Thursday. Waupaca County Assistant District Attorney James Fassbender said the deer slaughter demonstrated "a good deal of depravity" but agreed to a signature bond for Hermes because he cooperated with investigators. The maximum punishment for each charge of animal cruelty is 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Rory Kuenzi was convicted in 2005 of substantial battery and sentenced to a year in prison on the conviction in December 2007 when his probation was revoked. Hermes will appear in court again Jan. 27. This report includes information from the Appleton (Wis.) Post-Crescent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerforged Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 3 1/2 years and $10,000.00 fine is not enough for what they did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earnhardts12000 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 thats crazy cruel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 I'm sure glad they were caught. It's a relief to the land-owner, the community and all the other responsible snow mobilers . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 That is the best news I have heard in a while.:D:D I wondered how that case was progressing. Sounds to me like the two brothers have been in trouble with the law before. Add the stolen snowmobile and they should get more time in the big house. Hey Potash, do you have any video of this arrest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Wow...those guys have problems, that's for sure...and jail time probably won't even help them....sickos for sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 3 1/2 years and $10,000.00 fine is not enough for what they did! That's five FELONY COUNTS totaling .. 17.5 yrs of jail time and $50,000.00 in fines for each person involved if they get the MAX. And by the sounds of the public outrage, it could happen .. and IMHO should .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotashRLS Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) Sorry folks, I forgot to update ya. Thanks for following up!!!! Newest I heard also was with the stolen sled and a few other no no type things, a couple of them could be looking at a total of more than 17 years. DBs eh! Curious to see if some landowners will keep their land closed to the trails or not allow them back next year. The consequences could be huge for snowmobilers. Edited January 17, 2009 by PotashRLS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Good Job Wisconsin police. I knew these lowlifes would get caught. Wisconsin takes their deer seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 glad they caught the scum. now, if only the judge has a brain.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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