Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Archae

(46,325 posts)
Sat Mar 7, 2020, 12:07 AM Mar 2020

There is Florida Man, and there is Wisconsin Man!

I just about died laughing.

NO BULL-ion: Search for gold nuggets ends with Mattoon men in jail for arson

HAWANO COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) - A search for gold nuggets ended with the arrests of the potential prospectors for arson and other crimes in Shawano County.

This happened on Feb. 29. At about 4:45 p.m. that day, the Mattoon Fire Department was called to a report of a house fire in the Town of Hutchins.

Firefighters immediately suspected the fire was set because the house was unoccupied and the power was off. The Shawano County Sheriff's Office, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation and State Fire Marshal's Office were called in to investigate. A K9 sniffed out the presence of accelerant.

This is where the case gets interesting. Officers tracked down two Mattoon men identified as Corey A. Welch, 34, and Bryan M. Wendler, 37. The men had been at the property in search of $20,000 in gold nuggets that "had been hidden by the previous owner."

The nuggets were nowhere to be found. That's when they used diesel fuel to set the house on fire, according to the Sheriff's Office.

(It gets even better from here on)

https://www.wbay.com/content/news/NO-BULL-ion-Search-for-gold-nuggets-ends-with-Mattoon-men-in-jail-for-arson-568562611.html

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
There is Florida Man, and there is Wisconsin Man! (Original Post) Archae Mar 2020 OP
Oh god, what did we do now? htuttle Mar 2020 #1
We have some interesting criminals in Wisconsin, don't we? Poiuyt Mar 2020 #2
Apparently in Wisconsin 2naSalit Mar 2020 #3
Hey Bubba, hold my beer... Talitha Mar 2020 #4
Got a match... Historic NY Mar 2020 #5
They should get a couple of years for just those hair cuts alone. TheBlackAdder Mar 2020 #6

2naSalit

(86,572 posts)
3. Apparently in Wisconsin
Sat Mar 7, 2020, 12:18 AM
Mar 2020

It takes two!

My favorite parts...

Welch eventually confessed going to the house to steal gold nuggets and hood ornaments, according to the complaint, and Wendler told investigators he was drunk and bored so he went along to steal property "but was not okay with burning the house down."




And then!

During one interview, Wendler said Welch asked him to take the blame for the fire because Welch has five children and Wendler was going to prison anyway for his 8th OWI offense.


Talitha

(6,582 posts)
4. Hey Bubba, hold my beer...
Sat Mar 7, 2020, 01:18 AM
Mar 2020


Oh, we've got a million of 'em....

About 10 years ago in a rural area near (IIRC) Merrill, a couple of 20-something guys were cooking Meth. Something went wrong and the explosion blew the old farmhouse clean off of its foundation.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»There is Florida Man, and...