Western Wisconsin man, 70, charged with killing his wife, ‘hiding’ her body

A 70-year-old New Richmond, Wis., man is charged with killing his wife, whose body was found Sunday in Polk County.

According to New Richmond police, officers responded to the couple’s home around 1:45 p.m. Sunday for a possible domestic disturbance and welfare check of 68-year-old Mary Laakso.

The 911 caller said Laakso’s husband, Gordon Laakso, made statements that led them to believe he may have harmed her earlier in the day, police said in a Monday statement.

Upon arrival at the home in the 1300 block of Bluff Border Road, officers located Gordon Laakso but could not locate his wife nor reach her by phone.

The investigation later led to a rural area in Polk County, where she was found dead about 4 p.m.

On Monday, a Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office provisional autopsy report indicated the manner of death to be homicide, police said.

St. Croix County Circuit Court records show Laakso is charged with four counts: first-degree intentional homicide, strangulation and suffocation and hiding a corpse.

Laakso made an initial court appearance on the charges Monday. Judge R. Michael Waterman set his bail at $1 million and he remains at the St. Croix County Jail ahead of a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 17.

Laakso does not have a prior criminal history, Wisconsin court records show.

His attorney, Micheal Becker, when reached by phone Monday, declined to comment on the charges.

An online search shows Gordon Laakso worked as a Farmers Insurance agent, based in Superior. Mary Laakso also worked for Farmers Insurance and previously as an office assistant at the Douglas County Courthouse in Superior, according to her Facebook page.

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