Wisconsin man admits to killing 2 people in 1992 while in a 'drunken stupor'

A Wisconsin man was charged Friday in the deaths of two people he admitted to stabbing three decades ago while in a “drunken stupor” and thinking about his father’s death, according to court records.

Tony Haase, 51, made the admission to Wisconsin Department of Justice investigators Thursday and was charged with two counts of intentional homicide in the killings of Tanna Togstad and Timothy Mumbrue, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Friday in Waupaca Circuit Court.

Togstad, 23, and Mumbrue, 34, were found stabbed to death on March 21, 1992, in the bedroom of her home in Royalton, 54 miles southwest of Green Bay, the affidavit says.

The Waupaca County Law Enforcement Center in Wis. The County Courthouse is located behind this building.
The Waupaca County Law Enforcement Center in Wis. The County Courthouse is located behind this building.Google Maps

Haase was identified as their possible killer after his DNA was collected during a traffic stop in July, according to the affidavit. The circumstances surrounding the stop weren’t immediately clear but the affidavit says Haase was identified as a “recent subject” in the investigation into the killings.

When investigators approached him at the Waupaca County foundry where he works, Haase initially denied being involved in the killings and later said he did so because he didn’t want them to seem planned, the affidavit says.

Haase later claimed to have no memory of killings but described experiencing “snippets” of what happened that night, according to the affidavit.

He eventually told investigators that his father died in snowmobile accident that also involved Togstad’s father, according to the affidavit. Authorities determined Haase was 7 when the incident occurred in December 1977.

Haase’s father had been in a group of three racing snowmobilers when one of the vehicles struck his father, killing him, and another driver was run over, the affidavit says. Haase described it as a “horrible accident,” wrote Jay Yerges, the Wisconsin Department of Justice agent who authored the affidavit.

One of the drivers was Togstad’s father, the affidavit says. It does not specify which driver.

On the night of March 20, 1992, Haase was drinking by himself at different bars when he became intoxicated and began thinking about his father’s death, the affidavit says.

“Those thoughts led him to going to the home of Tanna Togstad,” Yerges wrote. “Haase could not articulate why he went there but insisted it was not to hurt anyone.”

Yerges added that Haase described himself as being in a “drunken stupor” and he couldn’t recall if he brought a knife or got one from Togstad’s house.

During a scuffle near the foot of Togstad’s bed, Haase described stabbing Mumbrue’s chest. Togstad yelled, and Haase punched her in the face, the affidavit says.

When Togstad stirred, Haase stabbed her in the chest, he allegedly told investigators.

Togstad’s dog was also stabbed to death, the affidavit stated.

Haase said he didn’t know why he did it, but when he saw news reports about the killings he thought of an expletive and said to himself, “What did I do,” the affidavit stated.

A lawyer for Haase did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Haase made a first appearance in court Friday and his bail was set at $2 million, court records show.

He faces life in prison if convicted, the affidavit states.

source: nbcnews.com