Koepp bound over for trial in triple slaying
James C. Koepp will stand trial for the murders of Danyetta Lentz and her two teenage children in January 2007.
Court Commissioner Steve Meyer ruled Tuesday morning that Koepp, 49, probably committed a felony in connection with the murders of Danyetta, Nicole and Scott Lentz.
Meyer continued Koepp’s $750,000 bond on the three charges of first-degree intentional homicide.
Koepp remains in custody at Columbia Correctional Institution, where he is serving a prison sentence for felony fleeing. He led Rock County deputies on a chase when he was supposed to be talking to investigators about the murders.
Meyer scheduled Koepp’s next court hearing for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. At the arraignment, Koepp is expected to enter not guilty pleas.
Danyetta’s father, Russ Lucht, found his daughter and her children slain in their mobile home in Janesville Terrace, 3315 S. Highway 51, on Jan. 12, 2007. Danyetta was 38; Nicole, 17, and Scott, 14.
Koepp was their neighbor in the trailer park.
Reports from the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory were the key evidence entered Tuesday by District Attorney David O’Leary and his deputy, Perry Folts.
The lab reported that stains found on blue jeans that a Rock County detective testified Koepp voluntarily gave him were blood and contained DNA that matched Danyetta’s.
In addition, a stain on a denim shirt that the detective said Koepp gave him was blood and contained a mix of DNA from four people, and the DNA was consistent with the DNA of Koepp and the Lentzes, according to the crime lab report.
Apr 15, 2008 at 11:39 p.m.
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I am very much in favor of the death penalty....AFTER the accused receives due process and is found guilty beyond a shadow of doubt. There is way too much call for punishment of the accused before they are even tried...would you want to find yourself in court with a jury with this mentality?
Apr 15, 2008 at 2:25 p.m.
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dont worry this case will get screwed up somehow.
Apr 15, 2008 at 1:16 p.m.
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due process. For the most part, I trust the process, but it sickens me to see all of the criminals who have a roof over their head, clothing (albeit, unattractive) and 3 squares a day and so many law-abiding citizens are suffering and trying to keep their homes, themselves and their children fed and watch their tax dollars support these creeps for the rest of their natural lives...
Apr 15, 2008 at 1:08 p.m.
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The generally accepted way of doing things in America is to have trials and determine guilt first.
Seems to me that the Iraqis recently hung a man who chose to do things your way.
Apr 15, 2008 at 11:51 a.m.
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why not save the tax payers money let him out of jail but first publish the time and place he will be released.I am sure he would be taken care of very well by the locals.
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