Beaver Dam woman acquitted in 2001 death of ex-boyfriend

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PORTAGE, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin woman has been acquitted of a first-degree intentional homicide charge stemming from the 2001 cocaine overdose death of her ex-boyfriend.

A jury deliberated for four hours before finding Leah Jean Waldhart, of 39, Beaver Dam, not guilty Friday night in the death of Curtis Wylesky, the Portage Daily Register reported Saturday. The 42-year-old Beaver Dam man was found dead by the side of a road near Fall River in 2001.

The investigation into Wylesky’s death was reopened in October 2012 after a woman allegedly heard Waldhart confess to killing Wylesky. Investigators said more than one bag of cocaine was found in his stomach and concluded that he had been forced to eat it.

Waldhart was considered a suspect early on based on her previous live-in relationship with Wylesky, which was described during the trial as “rocky” as well as “abusive,” blaming either Waldhart or Wylesky depending upon the source.

“We took this case knowing it was going to be a lot of long hours and we were going to be criticized and we still did it because that would be the right thing to do,” Detective Lt. Roger Brandner said afterward.

Waldhart said she was happy with the outcome.

“And I am very happy that I have a defense team that fought for me to bring me back to my family and I can actually spend time with them. And the truth did come out.”