Accused Killer Confessed to Double Murder with DNA Evidence, Yet Was Acquitted

The 1992 Double Murder Case

• 📌 In 1992, Tana Togstad and Timothy Mumbrue were murdered in Waka, Wisconsin, shocking their community.
• 🔪 Both victims were stabbed multiple times; Timothy appeared to have fought back, and Tana was also sexually assaulted.
• 🐕 Tana's dog, Scruffy, was also killed during the brutal attack.
• ⏳ The crime went unsolved for 30 years due to limitations in DNA testing at the time.

The Investigation and Confession

• 🔍 In 2022, Tony Haase, who lived in the area, became a suspect after investigators obtained his DNA from a pen used during a traffic stop.
• 🧬 The DNA found on Tana's body was a 100% match to Tony Haase's.
• 🗣️ During a subsequent interrogation, Haase was confronted with the DNA evidence and appeared to confess, admitting to stabbing Tana and having sexual contact with her.
• 🚗 Haase initially claimed he had no memory of the events due to intoxication, but detectives pressed him, suggesting he was lying to protect himself and his family.

Trial and Acquittal

• ⚖️ Haase was charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, with prosecutors emphasizing the strong DNA evidence and his confession.
• 🛡️ The defense argued that the DNA and fingerprint evidence was mishandled and inaccurate, and that Haase's confession was coerced through deceptive interrogation tactics.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A theory was presented that a deceased family member of Haase's might have been responsible for the murders.
• 🚫 Despite the confession and DNA match, a jury acquitted Tony Haase on both counts of homicide, citing doubts about the DNA evidence and inconsistencies in his interrogation statements.
• 🚶‍♂️ Haase was immediately released after the verdict, and no other suspects have been named.