‘All I know is that they have been on and off’: Married teacher’s affair turns deadly after girlfriend makes one decision he didn’t want

A judge dismissed charges against a Wisconsin professor accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend and her dog. But prosecutors have 72 hours to refile the case. Matthew Sierra, a 38-year-old teacher at Western Technical College, faces serious allegations of murder and arson.

According to the NY Post, Sierra was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree intentional homicide of an unborn child, arson, and animal mistreatment causing death. The judge threw out the charges during a hearing on Tuesday because of problems with the complaint. Sierra is still in jail on a $1 million bond and will appear in court again on Friday.

The case involves the death of 27-year-old Alexis Pickett, who was Sierra’s girlfriend. Police say the two already had one child together. When Pickett got pregnant again, Sierra wanted her to end the pregnancy. He allegedly threatened to take custody of their first child if she refused to get an abortion.

The relationship was filled with constant fighting and tension

A friend of Pickett told police the relationship was unstable. The friend said, “All I know is that they have been on and off.” The couple fought constantly after Sierra learned about the second pregnancy. He didn’t want anything to do with another child.

On November 13, firefighters went to a fire at Pickett’s apartment in La Crosse. After putting out the flames, they found Pickett and her dog dead inside. Police arrested Sierra on December 16, more than a month later. Relationship disputes turning violent are unfortunately not uncommon, including cases where ex-spouses battle over divorce proceedings.

An autopsy showed that Pickett died before the fire started. This suggests the fire was set to hide the crime. Surveillance video shows Sierra entering Pickett’s home at 12:45 AM and leaving two hours later while smoke alarms were going off.

Sierra’s wife knew about the affair and their child. She told police she thought her husband was home that night. But cell phone records placed Sierra at Pickett’s apartment during the time of the crime. Secret relationships and paternity issues have complicated many high-profile cases, including allegations involving claims about celebrity children’s biological parents.

La Crosse Police Chief Shaw Kudron said the investigation involved multiple agencies working together. The couple’s two-year-old son was staying with a friend the night his mother died. Sierra was placed on leave from his teaching job after his arrest.