APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A competency exam was ordered Tuesday for a man accused of killing his two children.
Matthew Beyer allegedly killed William, 5, and Danielle Beyer, 3, who were found dead in their Kaukauna home in February 2020. Matthew Beyer has pleaded not guilty, with a two-week trial scheduled to begin Nov. 29.
Competency relates to Beyer’s ability to understand the court proceedings and assist in his defense. Judge Mark McGinnis ordered a psychiatric review Tuesday, the results of which will be discussed at an Oct. 18 hearing.
The children’s mother called police on Feb. 17, 2020, to report their deaths. The mother and Beyer both admitted the two did not have a good relationship with each other, and were scheduled to appear in court later that day for a family court hearing.
According to the criminal complaint, witnesses and security cameras placed someone meeting Beyer’s description at the Crooks Avenue home.
In the first interview with police, Beyer said he was in Manitowoc County that night, and had not been in Kaukauna since December.
“Det. Krueger reports making the death notification to Matthew Beyer and noting very little initial emotional response by Matthew Beyer to learning of the deaths of his young children. Det. Krueger reports he has done many death notifications and found Matthew’s lack of emotion extremely unusual, especially because the death notification was about his two children,” the complaint states.
In an interview in June, Beyer changed his story and admitted going to Kaukauna on Feb. 14 and stopping at the house, “but never went on the property,” the complaint states.
He went back on the 15th, but again didn’t go on to the property.
“Eventually, Matthew acknowledged going into the residence at 1201 1/2 Crooks Avenue in Kaukauna, WI on February 17th Once he got into the apartment he looked in the kids’ bedroom and saw the kids sleeping,” the complaint states.
He said he explored the apartment, and was looking for drugs, according to the complaint.
According to the autopsy, Danielle suffered five “sharp force” injuries to the neck, while William suffered eight such injuries to the neck and head, plus wounds on a hand.
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