Jared Ler’che faces sentencing in October after accepting a conviction for the first-degree intentional homicide of Margaret Ler’che.
BALSAM LAKE, Wis. — A western Wisconsin man pleaded no contest to first-degree intentional homicide more than two years after his estranged wife was found shot in the basement of their rural Osceola-area home.
Jared Ler’che, 43, entered the plea Tuesday in the January 2024 death of Margaret Ler’che, 34, according to court records cited by CBS Minnesota. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 22. Prosecutors are recommending a 25-year prison sentence, though the final penalty will be determined by the court.
A no-contest plea does not require a defendant to admit the allegations but allows the judge to enter a conviction and impose a sentence. The plea resolves the homicide charge without a trial, where prosecutors otherwise would have been required to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Authorities found Margaret Ler’che dead Jan. 22, 2024, after her father requested a welfare check. Her father told investigators that he had helped her pack her belongings that afternoon as she prepared to leave the home and return to Iowa, where she and the couple’s two children had been staying during marital problems.
She was expected to arrive in Iowa that evening but never returned, according to the criminal complaint. Her father contacted authorities after he could not reach her. Deputies went to the residence in the town of Farmington, near Osceola, and later discovered her beneath a blanket in the basement.
Investigators said Margaret Ler’che had been assaulted, dragged and shot in the back of the head. A cord was found around her neck, and officers recovered a .22-caliber rifle near her body, according to the complaint. Officials ruled the death a homicide.
About 10 minutes after the welfare-check request, authorities in Polk County received information that Jared Ler’che had contacted a crisis line while driving with the couple’s children. He reportedly said that he was having thoughts of suicide, prompting officers to begin searching for him and the children.
When deputies reached Ler’che by telephone, he said he did not know where his wife was and accused her of having relationships with other men, the complaint said. He told an officer to examine her social media messages and determine which boyfriend she may have left with. Authorities did not report finding evidence supporting those claims.
Officers eventually arranged to meet Ler’che at a convenience store near Osceola. Investigators said they noticed blood on his clothing. During the encounter, he reached toward a sawed-off shotgun near his feet, but an officer stopped him and placed him under arrest, according to the complaint. The children were recovered safely.
Ler’che was charged with first-degree intentional homicide involving domestic abuse and was initially held on a $500,000 cash bond. The case remained pending for more than two years before he entered the no-contest plea.
The court will consider the prosecution’s recommendation and other information before imposing a sentence Oct. 22. Details about a defense sentencing request or whether Margaret Ler’che’s relatives plan to address the court had not been publicly released.
Author note: Last updated August 1, 2026.