Bail set at $1 million in town of Lyndon double homicide, victims allegedly beaten with baseball bat
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Lyndon, Wisconsin (wiscnews.com) — Court documents from a double homicide in the town of Lyndon show authorities believe the victims were murdered using a baseball bat following an argument.
Deputies from the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office found the bodies of Tina Decorah, 42, and Duane Mallory, 33, at a residence in the town of Lyndon during a welfare check March 15. Felix Rivera-Medina, 24, and Tina Decorah’s daughter Makaela Decorah, 23, were taken into custody during the ensuing investigation.
Rivera-Medina is charged with two counts of first degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime, two counts of felony theft from a corpse as a party to a crime, and felony harboring or aiding a felon. Decorah is charged with two counts of felony theft from a corpse as a party to a crime, felony harboring or aiding a felon and felony bail jumping.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the cases for both Rivera-Medina and Decorah, authorities believe Rivera-Medina murdered both individuals using a baseball bat later found at the residence. Rivera-Medina then joined Decorah at an acquaintance’s house before driving to Baraboo, where they paid for a hotel room using money taken from one of the victims’ purse.
The complaint shows authorities believe Decorah left the residence where she, Rivera-Medina and the victims lived following an argument shortly after midnight March 15 and went to a nearby home. While at the home, a witness overheard Decorah speaking to Rivera-Medina asking “Wait, what happened? What did you do?” Decorah then told the witness Rivera-Medina had “beat them up.”
Following the call, Decorah and the witness went to the residence, where Decorah picked up her children before returning to the witness’ house where Rivera-Medina later joined them. Rivera-Medina said he had taken one of the victim’s items from the home, including a purse, which Decorah went through for cash.
Rivera-Medina stated he “got (one of the victims) pretty good” and dislocated his jaw, including that he “knocked his teeth out” and cracked the victim’s skull using a baseball bat. A later search of the residence where the victims’ lived found a baseball bat with red stains in the bedroom of Rivera-Medina and Decorah.
Decorah, Rivera-Medina and her children were given a ride to Baraboo by the witness, who gave them $20 for a hotel room. The witness said the rest of the money for the hotel room came from the cash Decorah took from the victim’s purse.
Authorities arrested the couple in Eau Claire on March 17. Messages from Decorah to the father of her children state Decorah said her mother “lost her mind” and that Decorah “beat the (expletive) outta her.” Decorah also texted that “Felix hit (a victim) with a bat. (Expletive) got crazy. I gotta get tf outta here too.”
Rivera-Medina is set for an initial appearance April 13 at the Juneau County Justice Center. Judge Stacy Smith set a $1 million bond for Rivera-Medina at a hearing March 29, following requests from the state of a $2 million bond and from the defense of a signature bond.
Decorah is set for an initial appearance April 14 at the Juneau County Justice Center. Judge Smith set a $240,000 bond for Decorah at a hearing March 29.
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