Love triangle at center of Racine County home invasion homicide, complaint says
The New Berlin man accused of fatally shooting Chad Bickler on Dec. 26 inside a Racine County home did so after telling his girlfriend that he would kill her new love interest, according to a criminal complaint.
Troy Hoffman was charged Monday — three days after he turned himself in — in Racine County Circuit Court with first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree homicide and mistreatment of animals by use of a dangerous weapon, all felonies.
If convicted on the homicide charge, Hoffman faces a mandatory life sentence.
According to the complaint: After finding out his girlfriend was seeing Bickler, Hoffman angrily texted her that if she was on her way to meet Bickler on Dec. 26, as she was, that Hoffman would kill him.
Hoffman followed his girlfriend’s car to Bickler’s home in the 25700 block of West Loomis Road in the town of Norway, and rammed his vehicle into the back of it.
When he got out, the two began arguing and the woman fled in fear for her life when she saw Hoffman had a handgun in his hand.
Hoffman then walked up to the house and fired multiple shots at it before forcing his way inside and firing several more shots at Bickler, hitting him multiple times in the abdomen and legs, and a family dog.
Hoffman then left the home and fired at, but missed, his girlfriend, who was nearby and contacted police.
Emergency personnel rushed Bickler to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The dog, Tucker, also died.
Bickler’s brother, Clayton, created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs and cleaning up the home. As of Monday afternoon, the page had raised more than $26,000.
Hoffman made his initial court appearance the same day he was charged. He was ordered held on a $750,000 cash bond.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9.