Dominic Pilgreen, left (courtesy Waukesha County Sheriff's Department), and Nathan Reichard (courtesy Manitowoc County courts/Zoom)
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Attorneys have not been found yet for the two suspects who allegedly killed Payton Vertz and dumped his body in a river, keeping the cases on hold for now – and delaying the return of Vertz’s body to his family for funeral services.
Nathan Reichard, 15, and Dominic Pilgreen, 26, allegedly tied Vertz to a tree, beat and strangled him to death, before burning his clothes, and dumping his body in a river. Both are charged with being party to first-degree intentional homicide, physical abuse of a child, hiding a corpse, theft from a corpse, and false imprisonment for the Oct. 5 death of Vertz, 16.
Both appeared in court Thursday, but Judge Mark Rohrer noted state public defender’s office is still looking for lawyers to represent them. The preliminary hearings were rescheduled for next Thursday.
District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre asked the judge to order the Public Defender’s Office to have someone appear in court if attorneys haven’t been located, in order to address a victim’s rights issue.
“The victims want the victim (Vertz) released to them so that they can proceed with funeral and other arrangements. I cannot talk to this defendant or the other defendant until they have counsel,” Labre said.
Judge Rohrer asked LaBre for statutory authority to show he could order that office to appear.
Typically, the defense must give permission for the body to be released. Otherwise, the body is held as evidence in the event the defense wants its own autopsy or testing performed.
If there is not an attorney appointed by next week, the judge said he would ask both defendants if they would accept a court-appointed attorney. In those situations, however, the defendant must reimburse the county for legal fees.
In Wisconsin, those ages 10-16 charged with most homicide counts are charged in adult court. There is a mechanism for the defense to ask to have the case moved to juvenile court at a later stage of the case. Such requests are not granted automatically and are subject to review by a judge.
According to the criminal complaint, Vertz was listed as a runaway on Oct. 6.
On Oct. 16, a Two Rivers high school student told police Reichard confessed to killing Vertz. That same day, another student told police that on Sept. 16, Reichard “stated that they sold someone something and if they don’t pay them back what they owe they are going to get what is coming to them.”
Police found a shoe and bicycle at Zander Park that belonged to Vertz, including clothing in a burn pit.
Also on Oct. 16, Seagull Marina reported a body washed up near the docks there.
Police interviewed Reichard, who told police he and Pilgreen got Vertz drunk with vodka so they could kill him.
Reichard told police that Pilgreen described what he planned to do to Vertz: beat him, tie him to a tree with his shoelaces, then strangle him. Reichard claimed he sat as a lookout for 90 minutes before Pilgreen returned, saying Vertz was dead.
PILGREEN told him in detail how he killed CHILD VICTIM. PILGREEN told REICHARD that he punched CHILD VICTIM repeatedly in the face, torso and back. PILGREEN then said that CHILD VICTIM’s face was badly bruised and that he was bleeding from the head. PILGREEN also stated that after CHILD VICTIM was beaten and laying on the ground, PILGREEN took CHILD VICTIM’s shoes off of him and unlaced them and used the shoe laces to tie CHILD VICTIM to a tree. REICHARD stated that his belief for CHILD VICTIM being tied to the tree was so that he could think about why this was happening to him prior to being actually killed. PILGREEN told REICHARD that CHILD VICTIM got free from the tree resulting in PILGREEN attempting to strangle him with the shoe lace. The shoe lace did not kill him so PILGREEN took CHILD VICTIM’s belt off which he described to be brown and leather, and used that to strangle him which was successful,” the complaint states.
Reichard said that Pilgreen stole $320 off Vertz, and that he was going to dump the body in the lake or a river.
Police then interviewed Pilgreen.
Pilgreen said Vertz gave him $100 for cigarettes, vodka, and beer. Pilgreen then sent a text to Reichard, saying this would be the night they killed Vertz.
Unlike Reichard’s story, Pilgreen told police that Reichard “took a turn where he was beating CHILD VICTIM very badly and REICHARD had to restrain himself from killing CHILD VICTIM so that this could be PILGREEN’s kill,” the complaint states.
Eventually, Vertz was unconscious, but Pilgreen clamped Vertz’s belt around his neck for 20 minutes to make sure he was dead.
Pilgreen said he used a wagon to dispose of Vertz’s body. Police later found the wagon, and the belt.
A second interview with police took place, with Pilgreen offering more explanation on why it happened.
“PILGREEN stated that he despised CHILD VICTIM for what he did but “Kesley” only saw that as a reason to come out, like used that as an excuse to kill. It should be noted that PILGREEN said
“Kesley” is a personality of his. He stated that Kesley has thought about killing someone for years. He stated this was his first kill but he has tortured and gotten into physical altercations,” the complaint states.
Police talked to Reichard again, who then admitted more active participation.
REICHARD stated the first thing that happened was that he hit CHILD VICTIM with a stick and then PILGREEN held CHILD VICTIM up against a tree and they started punching him in the gut and PILGREEN kneed him in the side. REICHARD describes having more second thoughts but they were already in it and couldn’t stop,” the complaint states.
Reichard also helped tie Vertz to a tree, before again kneeing and punching him.
“They continued to tell him to admit and CHILD VICTIM kept questioning why this was happening to him. This was making them both “extra pissed because of constant repeating,” the complaint states.
As did Pilgreen, Reichard claimed a second persona.
An autopsy showed Vertz suffered brain injuries, multiple contusions and abrasions around the neck, and multiple bruises around his body, the complaint states.
According to Two Rivers police, a benefit for Payton’s family will be held at the Community House, 1710 W. Park Street, on Nov. 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Any funds collected will be going towards ‘Payton’s Place’. A heated/cooled shack where you can sit and talk to one another or a loved one that has passed on. If you knew Payton you can come and be near him and where he loved to be. Let’s let Payton’s light forever shine and come together as a community to honor another soul lost to soon,” the Facebook page for the event states.
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