Wisconsin manhunt underway in connection to triple homicide

State and federal authorities searched for Virgil Thew Tuesday in Wisconsin, wanted in connection to a triple homicide in New Lisbon, WI, about 80 miles northwest of Madison.

According to New Lisbon police, reports of two missing girls, aged 13 and 12, led on Dec. 30 to Thew’s mother’s apartment in New Lisbon, where Thew’s girlfriend, 33-year-old Elizabeth Kolba, Thew’s 12-year-old stepdaughter, and his stepdaughter’s 13-year-old friend were all found dead from gunshot wounds to the head.

The 13-year-old was last seen with Thew, and after her family reported her missing, the girl’s Snapchat location led concerned relatives to Thew’s address, where the bodies were discovered.

Thew lived with his mother

Thew, 47, and his girlfriend were reportedly caretakers for Thew’s mother, who also lived in the apartment and was unharmed, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. Thew’s mother told the police that she had not seen anyone besides Thew, Kolba, and the children at the address. The bodies were found on a bed in a locked bedroom, and it’s unclear if Thew’s mother heard gunshots or if she was aware of the bodies in her home.

Thew’s sister had also been to the apartment after the murders happened, but did not go inside the bedroom because the door was locked, and Thew would get angry and upset if anyone tried to go into his room without his permission “due to his level of concern regarding privacy and potential theft,” his sister said.

An official motive for the triple murder has not been reported, but Thew has been charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide. The last confirmed Thew sighting near New Lison was Jan. 1, and since then, police have said he should be considered armed and dangerous. Thew’s car has been found with a handgun in the trunk, and authorities are also seeking information about what kind of vehicle he may be driving.

A trail cam near New Lisbon also captured Thew carrying what looked like a sleeping bag concealing a “long straight item, consistent with the size and shape of a long gun.” Thew’s car and keys were also found nearby. Drone and ground searches for Thew have otherwise turned up nothing, and authorities say they now think he has left the area.

Thew is armed and dangerous

Thew is described as being 5′11″ tall and weighing about 160 pounds. He has blue eyes, brown hair, and a 1-inch scar on his forehead. As well as the triple homicide charges, Thew is wanted on a probation and parole warrant, according to New Lisbon police. Wisconsin police and federal authorities have asked anyone who sees Thew to call 911.

Wisconsin law enforcement has not released the names of the two minors killed, but the 13-year-old’s aunt, Stacia Huffman, told Minneapolis news outlet KSTP that her name was Skyla Sorenson and that she was related to the 12-year-old, whose name is still not available to the press. Referring to Sorenson, Huffman said, “She was a beautiful, outgoing, intelligent little girl that brought happiness to everyone who knew her.”