Police have identified a person of interest in the murders of a Wisconsin woman and two girls less than 24 hours after they were reported missing.
Virgil Thew, 47, from New Lisbon in Juneau County – about 150 miles northwest of Milwaukee – was named by authorities as a person of interest in connection to the suspected triple homicide on Monday.
Police released a headshot of Thew on Tuesday, who is not believed to be in custody. A manhunt is underway.
On Sunday evening, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office to assist in the search for a missing child, police said in an updated statement released on Tuesday.
Police say the minor was picked up from Monroe County and last seen with Thew.
At about 7.40 a.m. on Monday, the New Lisbon Police Department began to investigate the whereabouts of the juvenile, before later in the day being made aware of a second missing child.
Later that afternoon at approximately 4.29 p.m., the Juneau County Communications Center received a call regarding three individuals found dead inside a property.
Upon arrival, authorities learned that the deceased included two children and one adult were in the residence on 300 block of West Bridge Street in New Lisbon.
The Independent understands that both the minors and the adult were female. It is currently not clear whether the victims are related to one another or to Thew.
The Wisconsin State Crime Lab, Juneau County Detectives and investigative staff from Monroe County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to process the residence.
Thew is wanted by Wisconsin Probation and Parol is considered “armed and dangerous,” police said. The details around why he is wanted remained unclear.
The person of interest is white, 5ft 10, 150lbs and was last seen wearing a dark-colored coat, blue jeans and a hat, police said. Two photos released by the NLPD show Thew with short brown hair, facial hair and sporting a pair of glasses.
Police said they will continue providing updated information on the case.
The Independent has contacted the NLPD and Wisconsin Department of Corrections for more information.
