Bond set at $250,000 for suspect in Wausau bat beating death

Man charged with first-degree reckless homicide

Published On: Jun 20 2012 06:25:26 PM CDT   Updated On: Jun 21 2012 08:29:33 PM CDT
WAUSAU, Wis. -

Bond has been set at $250,000 for a suspect in the baseball-bat beating death of a Wausau man.

Twenty-year-old Warren Krohn is charged with first-degree reckless homicide and other counts.

He made his first court appearance Thursday. A second suspect remains jailed on a probation hold but has not been charged yet.

Kerby Kniess was found dead in a garage Wednesday morning. Police said the 49-year-old had a skull fracture.

The criminal complaint alleges a friend told officers the 18-year-old second suspect beat up the victim to work his way into Krohn's crew, and wanted to keep the bat as a trophy.

Deputy Police Chief Bryan Hilts said the two suspects stole $21, a bottle of booze and possibly cigarettes from Kniess.

Online court records don't list an attorney for Krohn. 

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