No murder charge in Wis. triple slaying

Prosecutors on Friday charged a man suspected in a triple killing with fleeing police and endangering people in a wild chase, but did not charge him with the slayings.

Prosecutor David O'Leary said he was still waiting for evidence to be processed before charging James Koepp, 47, in the deaths of his neighbors Danyetta Lentz, 38, and her children, Nicole, 17, and Scott, 14.

"I intend to file charges when I have a case I can prove," O'Leary said.

O'Leary and Sheriff Bob Spoden had said Wednesday that charges against Koepp in the slayings could come Friday. Spoden said detectives questioned Koepp about the deaths and he became a "person of interest."

Spoden in a statement defended his decision to treat Koepp as a suspect in the slayings and said investigators believe Koepp was present when the killings took place, lied to detectives and had a personal relationship with one of the victims.

On Friday, Koepp was charged with drunken driving, fleeing officers and reckless endangerment. He was being held on $60,000 bail.

Larry Peterson, Koepp's public defender, said he was glad prosecutors were taking their time. If he is charged with homicide, Koepp will plead not guilty, he said.

Authorities arrested Koepp Tuesday night after a sheriff's deputy noticed his car weaving. Prosecutors said Koepp led officers on a 12-mile chase that ended after Koepp ran over spike strips.

The bodies of Lentz and her children were found last week. Authorities have said they died of "complex homicidal violence."