Murder suspects accused of hiding corpse

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Two suspects have been arrested in the death of a man who was found in a Jefferson County storage facility after he’d been missing for two weeks.

Bond was set at $1 million Monday for each of two men charged in the slaying of a Jefferson County man found dead at the Ski Slide Storage facility in Ixonia during mid July.

James Richardson, 51, Watertown, James Richards, 19, of Oconomowoc both appeared in a Jefferson County Circuit Court to face charges of homicide, hiding a corpse, and theft. They’re are due back in court in two weeks, when a judge will decide if there’s enough evidence to order trials in the death of 28-year-old Beau Butschke.

Prosecutors said Butschke was shot with his own 22-caliber rifle, which the defendants allegedly stole a few weeks ago. They’re accused of leaving Butschke in a shed at the storage facility.

Prosecutors say the two suspects then went to the victim’s apartment to eat beer-and-bratwurst they stole from him.

Sheriff’s officials said Richardson was Butschke’s neighbor in a duplex where both lived in Ixonia. The two had argued previously about Richardson’s failure to maintain his half of the property.

Police said Richards was arrested early Sunday, July 31 when he asked Janesville Police where he could sleep for the night. Officers said he later confessed to the crimes, and told police where they could find Richardson.

Tags: crime and courts, crime, wisconsin