Michael Ingold’s efforts to get a speedy trial continue to be hampered by the lack of attorneys available to take on a case of first-degree homicide.
In a case that has been on the court docket for more than 2 1/2 years, a Feb. 17 hearing revealed that in the last three months, the public defender’s office has been unable to find an attorney for Ingold, 59. According to online court records, 618 attorneys have been contacted to take on the case without success.
According to Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr., the difficulty in finding attorneys to take on felony cases has persisted for years, but is even more difficult when it comes to homicide cases.
“I’m sure they’ll get someone for you, but because of the type of matter this is on the first-degree intentional homicide, I’m sure they have certain requirements that the attorney has to have,” Kussel said. “I know they’re working hard to try to find someone. Hopefully, it will be soon. That’s the best I can tell you at this point.”
A status conference was set for 1:30 p.m. March 24 in Branch II of the Shawano County Courthouse to see if an attorney has been found by then.
This is the third time an attorney has been sought for Ingold. Julianne Lennon took on the case for Christopher Froehlich, who withdrew May 9, 2023, after being appointed Oct. 18, 2022. Lennon withdrew from the case Nov. 21, 2024, after Ingold refused to come to court with her or appear via Zoom on the eve of the trial.
The criminal complaint against Ingold states that at 4:13 a.m. June 25, 2022, the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call from Ingold, where he stated that he woke up and checked on his girlfriend, only to find her deceased.
An autopsy showed that Sheila Laudon, who was 59 at the time, was strangled to death.
Ingold told the deputies that he got home at 6:30 p.m., talked with the victim, turned on the television and fell asleep on the couch, according to the complaint. He stated he woke up around 2:30 a.m. and heard the victim in the kitchen saying that she was getting a beer. He then claimed that he woke up again at 4:01 a.m. and found her dead in the bedroom.
Detectives received the autopsy report of the victim’s death on July 21, 2022, stating that the cause of death was manual strangulation.
On July 27, 2022, two detectives interviewed Ingold at the sheriff’s department, told Ingold that the victim died from strangulation and that they believed that he caused it. Ingold allegedly responded, saying, “No, it’s not; no, it’s not. I didn’t touch her,” according to the complaint. Ingold acknowledged he and Laudon were the only two people in the house but continued to deny touching her, according to the complaint.
Ingold faces life in prison if convicted of first-degree intentional homicide with a domestic abuse modifier. He remains in the Shawano County Jail on a $1 million bond.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
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