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MILWAUKEE - Rene Stermole, 56, was arrested last week and charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of 47-year-old Mark Wright, his neighbor. The shooting occurred in the alley behind their houses.
According to court documents, Stermole believed Wright was a terrorist in touch with Libyan dictator Moammar Gadafi, but also had ties to the Mafia, biker gangs, a Chicago street gang, and other assorted evil groups whom Stermole believed were going to do him harm. There are postings by a "Sonny Rene Stermole" on some conspiracy Web sites about a conspiracy to kill him.
Stermole told police these groups used Wright to stalk him, and Stermole used a digital camera to record him.
Milwaukee police said Wright had no criminal record, and witnesses decribed Wright as a family man.
According to the police report, Wright lit a barbecue grill in his back yard, near the alley, and went inside the house to get a plate of meat and some barbecue tongs.
When Wright returned, he was confronted by Stermole, who pulled a .40-caliber Glock pistol from his holster and shot Wright eight times. Stermole told police Wright was coming to kill him.
Stermole barricaded himself in his house. He surrendered to police after a standoff that lasted about an hour.
Wright was described as "a God-fearing man who went to church every Sunday" and as a man "who gave all for his family." He had a wife, a teenage son, and a six-year old daughter.
Stermole is being held on bail in the Milwaukee County Jail.
According to court documents, Stermole believed Wright was a terrorist in touch with Libyan dictator Moammar Gadafi, but also had ties to the Mafia, biker gangs, a Chicago street gang, and other assorted evil groups whom Stermole believed were going to do him harm. There are postings by a "Sonny Rene Stermole" on some conspiracy Web sites about a conspiracy to kill him.
Stermole told police these groups used Wright to stalk him, and Stermole used a digital camera to record him.
Milwaukee police said Wright had no criminal record, and witnesses decribed Wright as a family man.
According to the police report, Wright lit a barbecue grill in his back yard, near the alley, and went inside the house to get a plate of meat and some barbecue tongs.
When Wright returned, he was confronted by Stermole, who pulled a .40-caliber Glock pistol from his holster and shot Wright eight times. Stermole told police Wright was coming to kill him.
Stermole barricaded himself in his house. He surrendered to police after a standoff that lasted about an hour.
Wright was described as "a God-fearing man who went to church every Sunday" and as a man "who gave all for his family." He had a wife, a teenage son, and a six-year old daughter.
Stermole is being held on bail in the Milwaukee County Jail.