Police hope to wrap up investigation in “not-too-distant” future
By Kellen Olshefski
Editor
The City of Elkhorn Police Department is continuing its investigation into the Oct. 10 murder, suicide that left two men dead in an Elkhorn apartment.
City of Elkhorn Police Chief Joel Christensen said Monday at this point the department is still investigating any potential motive for the crime. Christensen said Christopher Lemock – believed to have shot and killed Joseph Hensel, 27, and then shot and killed himself – did not leave a note or message for police or family detailing why he might have committed the act.
“It was just the phone call, there was no message left,” he said.
According to records through the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access website, neither of the two men had substantial records with the exception of several traffic violations and Hensel’s guilty plea to possession of THC in 2006. Christensen said this as well as any in-house records at the City of Elkhorn Police Department wouldn’t indicate the men were involved in anything bigger at this time.
At this point, Christensen said the department hasn’t come across anything that would suggest Lemock had a history of mental illness that might have contributed to the shooting.
Christensen said the hope is the department will be wrapping up it’s investigation in the “not-too-distant future,” but it’s going to be a little bit of time before they release a whole lot of information as they’re waiting on toxicology results and the Walworth County Medical Examiner’s report. Likewise, while he said nothing was brought to light in the initial investigation about whether or not a struggle might have broke out between Hensel and Lemock prior to the shooting, the medical examiner’s report would give a more definite answer to the question.
According to information provided by the department, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at about 9:03 a.m. on Oct. 10 for a report of a man down at 220 ½ S. Wisconsin St., Elkhorn, and upon arrival discovered the bodies of Hensel and Lemock inside the residence, dead of apparent gunshot wounds.
Preliminary findings indicated just prior to police being called it is believed Lemock shot and killed Hensel, dialed 911 and gave the phone to a young child also at the residence and then entered the bedroom where it is believed he then shot and killed himself.
