Eggert was originally charged with arson, mutilating a corpse, burglary, and other counts in connection with the April 27 fire in the town of Harrison.
After the fire, two people called police, saying they talked with Eggert about the man’s death before the fire. Eggert says he showed up at the victim’s house and found him dead. They told him to call police. Instead, worried police wouldn’t believe he wasn’t involved in the death, Eggert allegedly set the house on fire and stole several firearms from the house.
According to the new criminal complaint, filed Wednesday and obtained by FOX 11, Eggert approached a fellow jail inmate about killing one of those witnesses, but was turned down. However, a second inmate said he made arrangements with Eggert for Eggert to get his bond posted, and deliver him cash and a truck.
“IW#2 (Inmate Witness #2) was able to identify the target witness by first and last name. IW#2 had directions to his house, he knew the bar where Witness #1 played pool, the description of vehicles driven, physical description of the witness and other details to locate the witness in order to commit the murder. IW#2 indicated there were multiple conversations regarding the terms of the agreement and the payment amount had changed a number of times. As part of the scheme, Eggert signed his name on a paper towel and gave it to IW#2 so that the signature could be copied onto a legal form if needed,” the complaint states.
Prosecutors filed counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree intentional homicide, and solicitation of first-degree intentional homicide. The counts carry maximum penalties of 60 and 12.5 years in prison, respectively. Bond was set at $1 million cash Wednesday, with the next hearing set for June 14. That coincides with a status conference in the arson case, court records show.
The complaint also includes a count of ‘false statement regarding military service,’ which alleges Eggert “did knowingly and with the intent to receive a tangible benefit falsely claim that he was a service member in the military.”
One of the witnesses told police she was afraid of Eggert because of Eggert’s claims he had served with Special Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and had been shot in the chest while in the service. Waupaca County District Attorney Veronica Isherwood told Fox 11 investigators confirmed with the military Eggert had not served.
If convicted of the ‘stolen valor’ charge, as it is sometimes called, could result in nine months in jail.
Comments