Minnesota man charged in La Crosse photo store killings
Robbery seems to be the motive behind the murder of a LaCrosse photo store owner and his son last month.
The Star Tribune says 39-year-old Jeffrey P. Lepsch of Dakota, Minn. was charged with two counts of first-degree homicide, armed robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm. In addition to the murders, more than $16,000 in camera equipment was stolen from the display case.
In September, 56-year-old Paul Petras, and his 19-year-old son, A.J. Petras, were found shot to death at May's Photo.
La Crosse Police Chief Ron Tischer said at a news conference Thursday that surveillance video played a major part in the investigation, WXOW reports. Video from outside the store and a nearby car dealer allowed investigators to track down Lepsch's vehicle and eventually locate Lepsch.
Deputies found 14 pieces of camera equipment at Lepsch's home matching serial numbers taken from May's on Sept. 15., according to the complaint. The La Crosse Tribune says police indicated Lepsch had an online hobby business trading camera equipment.
The newspaper found Lepsch has a history of theft. Lepsch served one year in jail after he was accused of stealing $100,000 in merchandise from Ace Hardware’s French Island distribution center where he was an employee in 2003.
