WISN: Waukesha Man Killed 3 People With Fireplace Poker, Complaint Says

Jaren M. Kuester, 31, of Waukesha is accused of killing retired farmers Dean, Chloe and Gary Thoreson with a fireplace poker in Lafayette County on April 27, Patch’s media partners WISN 12 News is reporting.

Kuester told investigators he discarded his clothes on the way to Lafayette County because he thought he was being followed. He was driving through Wisconsin because he felt his life was falling apart, WISN 12 News reported.

Kuester is charged with five felonies, including three counts of intentional homicide.

• Read more about Kuester's charges and confession on WISN 12 News.

Kuester was arrested without at the Willow Park Apartments, 1001 Delafield St., April 28 by the Waukesha Police Department, which was working with the Department of Criminal Investigations to make the arrest. A vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle driven by the homicide suspect was parked at the apartment building.

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Kuester was in jail on a warrant just days early after exhibiting strange behavior at Humane Animal Welfare Society. Kuester was bailed out of jail by his employer on April 26. Two days later, he was arrested for homicide.

Kuester brought in a deceased dog about two weeks prior to his arrest to the animal shelter. He returned days before the Lafayette County homicides, stating the dog was alive and he was walking through the animal shelter, the Waukesha Police Department’s call log states.

Kuester’s parents claim they tried to get mental help for their son through Waukesha County and the homicides wouldn’t have happened if Kuester had been committed. However, an official with Waukesha County Mental Health said Kuester’s April 25 assessment did not meet the state's criteria to detain him against his wishes, reported the State Journal.