Wisconsin Murder Suspect’s Plea Deal Denied by Judge

In Manitowoc, Wisconsin, a judge has dismissed a proposed plea deal for a local man, Timothy Hauschultz, who is implicated in the tragic demise of his 7-year-old great nephew, Ethan Hauschultz. This case, which took place on April 20, 2018, involves a series of grave charges against Hauschultz, including felony murder, child abuse, and battery, filed back in 2019.

Defense attorneys, in conjunction with prosecutors, presented a plea agreement to Judge Jerilyn Deitz that suggested the 54-year-old Hauschultz plead guilty to two charges of felony child abuse. This would have seen the remaining charges dismissed. However, as per court records and local news coverage, Judge Deitz was not convinced by the proposed reduction and postponed proceedings for both parties to renegotiate the terms.

When the court reconvened, Hauschultz’s legal team made another attempt to get the judge to accept the agreement, arguing that charging decisions should rest with the prosecution. Nevertheless, Judge Deitz remained unconvinced and ordered that Hauschultz’s trial proceed as scheduled on Tuesday.

The criminal complaint details that Hauschultz had mandated Ethan to lug a 45-pound log around the family’s property for hours each day over a week. Further, he instructed his son, 14-year-old Damian Hauschultz at the time, to monitor and ensure the punishment was enforced. Amidst Ethan’s struggles, the complaint notes that Damian struck him approximately 100 times, subjected him to standing face-down in a puddle, and encased him in 80 pounds of snow without a coat for an extended period. The young boy succumbed to hypothermia, compounded by severe physical trauma.

While Timothy Hauschultz and his wife, Tina McKeever-Hauschultz, served as Ethan’s court-appointed guardians, they were not present during the fatal incident. Damian, previously charged and convicted of first-degree reckless homicide, received a 20-year prison sentence in 2021. An appellate attempt to overturn the decision failed, and the state Supreme Court declined to reassess the case in September.

In a related resolution, McKeever-Hauschultz accepted a no-contest plea to charges of failing to prevent child abuse and contributing to mental harm, resulting in a five-year prison term.