APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A woman charged with trying to hire a hit man to kill her mother and stepfather added a plea Thursday of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.
Lindsey Feucht, 44, faces two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree intentional homicide. She claimed they didn’t do anything when she was sexually assaulted by a neighbor at age seven.
Judge Mark Schroeder ordered a psychiatric exam to determine if there’s a medical basis for the plea.
It’s uncertain when the results will be returned – and since a second opinion could be requested, regardless of the outcome – the Dec. 8 trial date is in jeopardy. However, it remains on the calendar at this point.
Another hearing is set for Nov. 23.
If the case were to go to trial, a jury would first determine if Feucht is guilty of the crimes. If so, the same jury would then hear a second phase, when it would determine if Feucht suffered from a mental disease or defect that prevented her from knowing right from wrong, and conforming her actions to the law. If it accepted the so-called insanity defense, she would be committed to a psychiatric facility. If it rejected that plea, she would face prison time.
According to the criminal complaint, a confidential informant (referred to as “CI”) told police about Feucht’s inquiries to hire someone to kill her mother.
“CI was informed Feucht said she was “fondled” when she was younger, told her mom and nothing was ever done about it,” the complaint states. “Feucht said that she was never going to forgive her for what they did to her. Feucht stated “there needs to be a price to pay, they’ve ruined my life”. Feucht went on to tell [Undercover Officer] that her neighbor molested her when she was younger and that her mother and stepfather never filed a police report.”
Feucht indicated she wanted the death to “look natural” and “mentioned inheritance money,” the complaint states.
The CI told Feucht he knew someone who might be able to complete the task and the CI arranged a meeting between Feucht and the would-be hit man.
Feucht told an undercover officer she wanted her stepfather killed as well, and it made sense for him to die first. Feucht suggested poisoning their coffee. She thought Visine or oleander flowers would not show up on an autopsy. She also suggested making it look like a fall in the shower, the complaint states.
Feucht allegedly provided photos of the couple, details of their vehicles, the layout of the house and information on their schedules.
“Feucht told [Undercover Officer] that she would give [Undercover Officer] $100,000 when we were done just so [Undercover Officer] would be happy. Feucht commented that she would get a couple million dollars after the death of the intended victims. Feucht mentioned her stepfather had a nice emerald ring that was most likely inside of the safe in the basement. Feucht said if [Undercover Officer] wanted to take the emerald ring on his own that he could. Feucht mentioned that it could look like a burglary,” the complaint states.
If convicted, the maximum penalty would be 60 years in the prison system for each count.
