The Mauston community is mourning the murder of retired Judge John Roemer. | Wikipedia Commons/Kenneth C. Zirkel
The Mauston community is mourning the murder of retired Judge John Roemer. | Wikipedia Commons/Kenneth C. Zirkel
The Mauston community is remembering fallen Juneau County judge John Roemer for who he was far beyond his courtroom.
"He became the president of our congregation,” close family friend Marilyn Storandt told TMJ4.com, speaking of Roemer’s time at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. “Jack had a wonderful sense of humor and he was very generous and kind, non-judgmental."
Roemer was gunned down in his home earlier this month, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice identified 56-year-old Douglas Udhe as a suspect. Investigators have indicated the attack on the judge was a targeted one, adding that the gunman had a hit list that also included U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
After arriving on the scene, police found Udhe in the basement of Roemer’s home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to a hospital and listed in critical condition.
Court records show that Roemer had previously sentenced Udhe to six years in prison for armed burglary and several other firearm charges.
"It was and still is very numbing to imagine that this happened in our little town but to a very close friend," Storandt told TMJ4.
Neighbor and friend Randy Marschall said people are still struggling to make sense of the tragedy.
"I think people that came in today were I can't believe this happened because the judge was just here,” he said. “I know people when they had hard times, he was there for them."
Marschall added that he is now focused on trying to make things easier for Roemer’s family, including the three kids he leaves behind. Reports said one of the judge’s sons was present at the time of the attack and was able to escape.
"I was just so happy that he got out the window, and I know that would've been Jack's biggest concern with his son getting out,” Marschall said.
UPDATE: Udhe was declared legally brain-dead on Saturday, June 4; a Tuesday WISN news report said. He was declared deceased on Tuesday after being kept on life support to facilitate organ donation.
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