Jackson County death investigation leads to six arrests

JACKSON COUNTY, Wis. (WEAU) - A death investigation is underway in Jackson County.

According to a media release from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, on Thursday, March 9, 2023, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a call from Star Myers reporting a person missing since Tuesday, March 7, 2023. A deputy took her statement and entered the person as a missing person. On Friday, March 10, the Sheriff’s Office received information that indicated the person was not actually missing but dead as the result of foul play.

The media release from the Jackson says based on this information, the Sheriff’s Office enlisted the help of the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory, and authorities searched a home on County Highway O near the intersection of State Highway 27 in the Town of Manchester in Jackson County, Wis.

Jackson County Sheriff Duane Waldera said the assisting agencies helped the sheriff’s office in gathering information.

“It’s a missing person/death investigation. You only get one shot and you got to make sure you do it well the first time,” Waldera said. “Going back and trying to clean it up or do something better than you did or just missing something. I think the expectation is that you do it right the first time.”

Human remains were found on the property during the search, according to the media release. The media release notes that samples of the remains were sent out for identification.

During the course of this investigation, the following arrests have been made:

22-year-old Jeffrey Myers-Woychik, of Black River Falls, Wis. was arrested on the suspicion of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamines (felony), possession with intent to deliver cocaine (felony), possession of fentanyl (felony), possession of a short barreled shotgun (felony), receiving or possessing a stolen firearm (felony), and resisting/obstructing an officer.

20-year-old Savannah Pellett of Black River Falls, Wis. was arrested on the suspicion of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamines (felony), possession with intent to deliver cocaine (felony), possession of fentanyl (felony), possession of a short-barreled shotgun (felony), receiving or possessing a stolen firearm (felony), and resisting/obstructing an officer.

34-year-old Michael Petersen of Black River Falls, Wis. was arrested on the suspicion of felony bail jumping and resisting/obstructing an officer.

30-year-old Matthew Simone of Hixton, Wis. was arrested on the suspicion of resisting/obstructing an officer and a probation hold.

30-year-old Vincent Simone of Black River Falls, Wis. on the suspicion of resisting/obstructing an officer.

49-year-old Star Myers of Black River Falls, Wis. was arrested for a probation hold.

Waldera said the six individuals were connected to the property where the search warrant took place.

“They’re actually connected through being at the resident as their involvements or what we feel they’ll be associated with if it’s a crime. It’s still pending,” Waldera said. “We’re still putting some of the facts and circumstances together, but we know that there’s enough information to show that these people arrested at this point were at the residence and are associated with the criminal activity that happened there.”

The Sheriff’s Office says the death investigation is still ongoing. The Sheriff’s Office also says this was an isolated incident and there is no threat to the public.

“It’s all just one link or hub to that residence. So, the reason there’s no threat to the community is that we don’t feel there’s an unknown person out there of interest that would be contributing to more criminal activity,” Waldera said.

So far, no charges have been filed against any of the people arrested.

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