Ingold murder trial’s first day cut short

The first day for the trial of Michael Ingold, who stands accused of murdering his girlfriend in June 2022, was cut short April 8 after attorneys met in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge William Kussel’s chambers over concerns brought up by Albert Moustakis, one of Ingold’s attorneys.

Details were not revealed about what specific problems there were, but Kussel sent the jury home until 8:30 a.m. April 10, and attorneys were expected to produce documents and discuss the details at a hearing April 9. Kussel apologized to the jury and said he didn’t want members to sit in the jury room while issues were hashed out.

“That way, we will not waste your time waiting while the court is taking up arguments from the state and the defense in this matter,” Kussel said. “These are rather complicated matters, and the court has to take into consideration not only the due process rights of the defendant, as well as we have an amendment to our Constitution that gives certain rights to the victim in this case. I have to balance those issues and make sure that we have a fair and proper decision to go forward.”

Moustakis said he believed arguments in the matter could be dealt with very quickly, and that documents could be provided to the court late in the day. He added that he “was done” trying to work things out with the district attorney’s office when Kussel suggested the two sides work together a little to resolve any concerns.

Prior to the sidebar hearing in Kussel’s chambers. Shawano-Menominee County District Attorney Greg Parker gave his opening statement on why Ingold should be in prison for the first-degree homicide of Sheila Laudon. Parker said that, when Ingold contacted dispatchers about Laudon’s death, he was claiming she had health issues due to weighing 285 pounds, smoking and taking a lot of medications.

Ingold allegedly said that Laudon drank two beers and two wine coolers the night before her death, and that he had woken up at 2:30 a.m. June 25, 2022, to find Laudon in the kitchen and very much alive. He allegedly said he woke up again on the couch in the living room after 4 a.m. and found his girlfriend dead and cold to the touch, according to Parker.

The district attorney said the medical examiner’s report told a different story, with a finding of death by strangulation. Parker noted that deputies who were helping the coroner to put Laudon in a body bag noted that force was necessary because rigor mortis was setting in.

“Some of his findings that were significant with respect to the cause of death were that there were hemorrhages in two areas of her neck, petechial hemorrhages to her right eye and her left eyelid,” Parker said.

Parker said he would be calling witnesses who heard Ingold claim that he was “going to kill” Laudon. Among them was a paralegal who allegedly heard Ingold say there was a life insurance policy and that he used a comforter to kill Laudon to avoid any ligature marks on the body.

Parker noted that a witness claimed Ingold “was irritated with Sheila, started complaining about her, saying that she was a fat bitch and that she was spending all of his money.”

The prosecution has the burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Ingold killed his girlfriend, and Parker expressed confidence that his office has a strong case.

“We believe, after all of the evidence you hear in this case, that we’ll be able to find that Michael Ingold caused the death of Sheila Laudon and that he also intended to kill her,” Parker said.

lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com