Rudy expected to plead to murder charge

By Matt Ollwerther - Marshfield News-Herald

NEILLSVILLE -- Shaun W. Rudy, accused of fatally shooting his pregnant wife and dismembering her corpse, likely will plead guilty or no contest at an arraignment next week, according to the Clark County district attorney.

The plea hearing, scheduled for 8:15 a.m. May 25, was set after a status conference Tuesday morning.

"I was surprised, in the sense that I didn't have a heads up," said Clark County District Attorney Darwin Zwieg. "We have no agreement, so I have to assume at this point that he's simply going to plea to the charges."

Zwieg was not able to speak with Rudy's public defender, David Grace, after the conference, so he was unsure about the defense's motive or reasons for asking for a plea hearing.

Christine Rudy, 21, of Thorp was fatally shot Nov. 12, dismembered and dropped into the Chippewa River by her husband near the Cobban Bridge in Chippewa County a day or two later, authorities said.

Christine Rudy was six months pregnant at the time.

Shaun Rudy, 23, has been charged with two counts of first-degree homicide for his wife and unborn child, as well as a count of dismembering a corpse.

"The family is pleased, and to say that they're relieved is also appropriate. The faster this moves along, the sooner they can put the day to day worrying about how the trial might go, so much the better," Zwieg said.

Investigators pulled human remains from the Chippewa River on March 28. While a DNA confirmation is still pending through a state crime lab, a forensic dentist concluded part of a jaw was Christine's.

Authorities also have said a tattoo Christine Rudy was known to have was evident on the torso.

Shaun Rudy also is scheduled to enter a plea on unrelated charges of possession of a firearm as a felon and drug paraphernalia next week, according to online court records.

He remains in the Clark County Jail.

Grace could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

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