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Tomahawk man dies, wife woman charged with first degree reckless homicide

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Richard “Ricky” Sanderson, a 50-year-old Tomahawk man, died on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, at Aspirus Tomahawk Hospital from an apparent stab wound to the upper center of his chest/lower throat area, and his 43-year-old wife, Michelle Marie Sanderson, has been arrested and charged with first degree reckless homicide.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office advised that at 9:55 p.m. on Jan. 9, the 911 Dispatch Center received a report of a male subject arriving at the hospital with a visible and bleeding chest wound, and he was having trouble breathing. “Life-saving measures were attempted by medical staff but were unsuccessful due to the extent of Victim’s injury,” said a Criminal Complaint filed on Monday, Jan. 13. in Lincoln County Court.
Richard Sanderson was pronounced dead at 10:25 p.m. “The Lincoln County Coroner advised that a preliminary examination of Victim’s body revealed a single area of penetrating trauma at the carina. No other injuries were observed,” the Complaint said. The stab wound has been listed as the preliminary cause of death. Lincoln County Coroner, Valerie Caylor, said the carina is just above the center of the upper chest. “[The carina] means bottom of the throat, beginning of the chest, center of that,” she said.
Michelle Sanderson was initially taken into custody in connection with the incident on a probation violation and was then charged with one felony count of First Degree Reckless Homicide with a Domestic Abuse modifier, one misdemeanor count of Resisting or Obstructing an Officer with a Domestic Abuse modifier, and one misdemeanor count of Disorderly Conduct with a Domestic Abuse modifier. Sanderson appeared in Lincoln County Court Branch 2 early Monday afternoon, Jan. 13, by video, in custody from the Lincoln County Jail. Attorney Jessica Fehrenbach appeared specially by video on her behalf.
According to the Complaint, Michelle Sanderson told a Lincoln County deputy she found the victim outside already injured, but a witness told deputies he had seen Michelle stab the victim with a steak knife in the kitchen of the couple’s home.
“Michelle stated Victim went outside to work on something by the truck,” the Complaint said. “Michelle stated she went out to look for him after some time and heard him say come here. Michelle said she saw Victim was bleeding. Michelle stated several times throughout their conversation that Victim had a stab wound.”
The Lincoln County deputy who responded to Aspirus Tomahawk Hospital then spoke with the witness. “Witness stated he was visiting with Michelle and Victim,” the Complaint said. “Witness stated Michelle and Victim had been arguing all night. Witness further stated, while inside their residence ... at some point during the argument, Michelle produced a knife. Witness did not know where she got it from ... Witness said that Michelle began waving the knife around and at one point swung at him. Witness stated he then saw Michelle move her arm toward Victim. Witness then heard Michelle tell Victim that he had blood on his shirt.”
Later a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office investigator also spoke with the witness. “Witness told the investigator that he witnessed Michelle stab Victim in the chest with a steak knife,” the Complaint said. “Witness stated Michelle then dropped the knife in the kitchen and they loaded him up and brought him to the hospital.”
“The evidence observed at the residence supported Witness’s version of the incident and did not support Michelle’s version,” the Complaint said. “Law Enforcement observed a blood trail from in the kitchen/dining area, through the residence, and outside to where the truck was parked. The blood trail appeared to start with a pool of blood in the kitchen/dining area, indicating that Victim stood there bleeding before moving to the vehicle. Law Enforcement also observed a steak knife located on the kitchen floor near the start of the blood trail.”
“Two Lincoln County Investigators conducted a second interview with Michelle giving her an opportunity to explain her version provided earlier. Michelle maintained her original story,” the Complaint said.
Michelle Sanderson has a long history of both misdemeanor and felony convictions throughout the state including under her maiden name, Michelle Twilley, dating back to 2005. Convictions in Marathon, Chippewa, Eau Claire, Dunn, St. Croix, Milwaukee, Walworth, and Racine Counties include misdemeanor convictions for possession of drug paraphernalia, prostitution, retail theft, theft of movable property, misdemeanor theft, bail jumping, OWI, and disorderly conduct—among others and some having more than one count—and felony convictions for both possession and delivery of methamphetamine as a repeater, operating a motor vehicle without consent as repeater, and felony bail jumping as a repeater.
At the time of her arrest, Michelle Sanderson was out on a $1,000 Signature Bond dated Nov. 6, 2024, for a Lincoln County traffic charge of operating after revocation, a case which has not yet concluded.

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