FOND DU LAC COUNTY (NBC 26) — A Fond du Lac County judge reduced the bond for the man at the center of a multiyear stalking case, who was later found to be living with human remains in his home.
Benjamin Larson, 47, appeared in court Monday afternoon for a bond hearing. Circuit Court Judge Douglas Edelstein agreed to reduce his cash bond from $250,000 to $150,000, after Larson's defense argued results for certain evidence might take a substantial amount of time.
Multiple conditions, including not possessing any human or animal remains or dangerous weapons of any kind, remain in place as part of the bond agreement.
Larson was charged in Fond du Lac County Sept. 2 with three counts of receiving stolen property valued at $2,500 to $5,000, one count of felony bail jumping and one count of resisting or obstructing an officer.
The Fond du Lac County charges followed a search of Larson's home during a Dane County case. He was first charged Aug. 18 in Dane County Circuit Court with one count of stalking after a Madison-area woman reported a 13-year campaign of harassment.
During the search of Larson's home, investigators say they found serial killer memorabilia, items allegedly taken from Ed Gein’s grave, a jar with a sign claiming to contain a piece of John Wayne Gacy’s brain, and bottles labeled with poison names including arsenic and cyanide.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Fond du Lac County, an anthropologist told detectives that three skulls found in Larson’s home were determined to be archaeological Native American remains. The anthropologist also told detectives that at least two bones — a femur and a humerus — appeared to contain soft tissue and “bodily type substances,” indicating the remains were much more modern and not archaeological Native American remains. Another skull that appeared to contain modern filling material was also sent for further testing.
A status conference has been scheduled for Nov. 5.
