WAUPACA (NBC 26) — Tony Haase, the man accused of killing a woman and her boyfriend over 30 years ago in apparent revenge for a snowmobile accident in Waupaca County, was found not guilty by a jury on Monday morning, the same day he was arrested three years ago.
After a trial that lasted more than three weeks, and four days of deliberations, a jury returned to the courtroom with a verdict on Monday morning.
Haase was found not guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the stabbing deaths of Tanna Togstad and Timothy Mumbrue in March 1992.
Hear from Haase's legal team in the video below:
According to the criminal complaint, Tongstad's father was involved in a snowmobile accident in 1977 that left Haase's father dead.
"From the very moment that I met him and ... our team did, we were 100% convinced of his innocence and that has never wavered," John Birdsall, Haase's defense attorney, said at the courthouse Monday.
Jurors took a few hours on the third day of deliberations before returning their verdict.
During the trial, prosecutors said crime scene DNA and a recorded confession proved Haase's guilt. But jurors sided with the defense, which said in court the DNA evidence is unreliable and the confession was coerced.
"Our team for three years have moved heaven and earth to make this happen and to show the world [what] kind of man Tony Haase really is," Birdsall said.
"This is a horrific story," defense attorney Nicole Muller said. "What happened to Tim and Tanna was terrible. It was evil ... There's still two families who have unanswered questions."
Haase walked out of the courthouse a free man Monday and Birdsall says he plans to spend time with family. The families of the victims and the prosecution chose not to speak with reporters Monday.
