Courts

Trial likely next summer for suspect in La Crosse County triple murder

Published

3 years ago

June 27, 2022

FILE - Entrance to Milestone Material quarry on County M, north of West Salem, where three bodies were found shot to death back in July of 2021. (PHOTO: Rick Solem)

A murder suspect from Onalaska will probably have to wait another year before he’s tried for three shooting deaths that occurred last summer.

Attorneys in the case of Nya Thao asked for a trial date next summer — a trial expected to last up to two weeks.

Thao and a co-defendant, Khamthaneth Rattanasack, are charged with killing three men at a quarry just north of West Salem in July of 2021.

Rattanasack had just gotten out of prison and allegedly called for the shootings because one victim owed him $600, according to police.

He and Thao were arrested in July of last year for the shooting deaths of Nemo Yang, Peng Lor, and Trevor Maloney at a rural quarry.

Attorney Aaron Nelson requested a trial, saying that a negotiated plea for Thao probably cannot be reached.

Related Topics:featured la crosse county Nya Thao trial date triple murder

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.