Wisconsin man killed his step-grandfather with an ax, wounded two other seniors, cops say

A Wisconsin man allegedly killed his step-grandfather with an ax and injured two more elderly people during a June 6 attack, police say.

Police in Monroe County, Wisconsin, said Thomas Wayne Aspseter used an ax to kill Bernard Waite, 87, after being told he wasn’t welcome to stay at his residence, Lake Geneva Regional News reported.

The suspect also allegedly attempted to kill two other victims, a 76-year-old man and a 73-year-old woman. The man remains hospitalized with his injuries, according to Lake Geneva Regional News.

Aspseter, 36, was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, as well as two counts of attempted first-degree homicide and two counts of aggravated intent to cause bodily harm.

According to the criminal complaint obtained by Lake Geneva Regional News, Aspseter used a crowbar to gain access to Waite’s home while Waite and the other two victims were at a family gathering.

The woman victim told police Aspseter lived at Waite’s residence and Waite purchased a bus ticket for him to leave on June 3. Waite didn’t mention the destination.

When the three victims returned to Waite’s residence on the morning of June 6, they found Aspseter inside, according to Lake Geneva Regional News.

Waite was allegedly upset to see Aspseter in his home and told him to gather his belongings and leave, according to the criminal complaint.

The female victim and the other man ran inside the house after hearing a loud noise.

Aspseter then emerged swinging an ax and struck the second man. He swung the ax again and struck the woman in the arm, the complaint said.

The woman then ran across the road to a neighbor’s house for help.

According to the complaint, the woman said Waite told her that he wasn’t safe with Aspseter staying with him.

In a brief 911 call detailed in the complaint, Aspseter said he went “crazy” and admitted to killing Waite.

He then allegedly said that he shot himself in the throat, and police confirmed a self-inflicted gunshot wound from a .22 caliber rifle, which he was holding when police arrived, according to Lake Geneva Regional News.

Aspseter is being held in the Monroe County Jail on a $1 million bond.