Murder-suicide shocks Wisconsin Rapids

WISCONSIN RAPIDS - A 36-year-old Wisconsin Rapids man killed his two children, a 3-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl, and then killed himself in their east-side home, police said Wednesday. It was an act of violence that stunned neighbors and left many in this close-knit community baffled.

The home, at the corner of 11th Street South and Apple Street, is owned by Justin and Amanda Bohn, according to public records. Police on Wednesday would not confirm the deceased male was Justin Bohn but said the children’s mother was not home.

Authorities were alerted to the crime at about 3 a.m., Wednesday, when they took a report that a 36-year-old Wisconsin Rapids man sent his brother a disturbing email in which he said goodbye to his family, according to police reports. The report also noted there were weapons in the home, which is about three blocks from Witter Field baseball park.

When police entered the man's home with family members, they smelled a strong odor of natural gas and found the bodies of three people, all with gunshot wounds. They concluded it was likely a double-murder and suicide but declined to answer any additional questions about the incident.

Wood County Coroner Dara Hamm said she was coordinating autopsies for the man and two children, but they had not been scheduled as of noon Wednesday.

Few details about Justin and Amanda Bohn were released Wednesday, but both have current chiropractic licenses, according to the state Department of Safety and Professional Services. Justin Bohn has had a chiropractic license since 2011, while Amanda Bohn has been licensed since 2013, records show. Justin Bohn also is the registered agent of Bohn Family Chiropractic, LLC; the address listed in a state database for the company is the same as the Bohns' home address on 11th Street South. It was not clear Wednesday, however, whether that company was in business or if the Bohns were actively practicing chiropractic medicine.

At the scene Wednesday, yellow police tape surrounded the two-story red brick home. Numerous police vehicles were parked at the house, including a van from the state Department of Justice crime scene investigative unit and multiple cars from the Wisconsin State Patrol and Rapids Police Department.

Police officers could be seen entering and exiting the home and also appeared to be going door-to-door and interviewing neighbors.

The Wisconsin Rapids School District sent a message to parents Wednesday afternoon telling them the district had received tragic news about one of its families. The district was communicating with police investigating the deaths, according to the notice.

School employees were asked not to comment about the incident while it remains under investigation and the district did not plan to release more information, according to the note. The note reassured parents there was no threat to students or staff in the district.

Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink said Police Chief Kurt Heuer notified him about the deaths early Wednesday. Vruwink said he knows the 36-year-old man’s father through the Elks Club and knows the man’s brother.

“They were such a beautiful family and children," Vruwink said. "That’s what touches me the most — that it’s taken the lives of children."

Vruwink said he’s met the children’s mother several times and they have many friends in common.

“It touches many of the people in the community, without question,” Vruwink said.

Wood County Board member Douglas Machon, who represents the neighborhood where the bodies were found, said he was heartbroken after learning of the killings.

“You never want to hear things like this happening, especially in your community so close to home,” Machon said in an interview. “It’s heart-wrenching. You have to try and understand what drives people to do these things. They seem to make no sense at all.”

Residents of the neighborhood gathered around police barricades to watch the commotion as investigators processed the scene on a gray and chilly day, as on-and-off bursts of wind rattled chimes on nearby porches. Police had blocked access to homes adjacent to the crime scene, but neighbors farther away recalled seeing kids playing outside the home, which has a swing set in its yard.

Rick Vanderhei lives a block from the murder-suicide scene. He said he walked around the area at 9 a.m. after noticing the barricades near his home. Officers told him they couldn't say anything, but he later learned what police believe happened.

"It's shocking," he said. "Basically, it's a pretty quiet neighborhood."

Other neighbors told a reporter the family had moved into the home within the last couple of years.

The Bohns' home sits in a diverse neighborhood. Surrounding properties range from well-kept houses with landscaped yards to homes showing signs of neglect. People who live around the scene include young families, middle-age adults and retirees.

News of Wednesday's killings prompted victim advocates to raise awareness about resources available for victims of domestic violence.

“Our hearts go out to family members, friends and those in the community touched by this tragedy,” said Sue Sippel, executive director of The Family Center, a Wisconsin Rapids shelter for victims of abuse.

“These are the kinds of stories we hope to prevent from happening by offering resources to families who are struggling."

A man who answered the door Wednesday at a Grand Rapids home owned by a relative of the Bohn family declined comment.

"It's a family matter," he told a reporter.

Karen Madden: 715-424-7308 or karen.madden@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @KMadden715. Jonathan Anderson: 715-898-7010 or jonathan.anderson@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter @jonathanderson.