Helmbrecht waives extradition to Wisconsin

COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WEAU) - 51-year-old Shane Helmbrecht appeared Tuesday morning in Cook County, Ill. Circuit Court for an extradition hearing.

According to Eric Huse with the Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office, at the hearing, Helmbrecht waived extradition to Wisconsin. He will be held in Cook County awaiting transporting to the Eau Claire County Jail within 30 days.

Helmbrecht is charged with killing an Eau Claire woman seven years ago.

Helmbrecht was taken into custody over the weekend by the FBI in Mexico and taken to the Cook County Jail in Chicago.

Helmbrecht is accused of killing his neighbor Jenn Ward in 2016 but was found not competent to stand trial.

He left a group home in Tomah in September and a bench warrant was issued for Helmbrecht to return to Wisconsin.

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