'Armed and Dangerous' Wis. Man Arrested for Allegedly Killing Woman and 2 Girls

Police in Juneau County, Wis., say they’ve arrested a man wanted in connection with the deaths of a woman and two girls at a home in New Lisbon last month.

The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office said in a brief update on Facebook on Thursday that Virgil Thew was arrested in Elroy, Wis., amid an “increased law enforcement presence” in the area after a tip about a “suspicious” man.

In a press release later in the day, the sheriff’s office said Thew was “taken into custody without incident” shortly after officers arrived at the scene.

Thew was arrested in connection with the killings of Elizabeth Kolba, 33, and two girls aged 12 and 13 at a house in New Lisbon on Dec. 30, according to The Associated Press. The outlet reported that police believe Thew, 47, knew the victims.

The relationship between the victims has not been confirmed by police.

Thew has been charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide, Wisconsin court records reviewed by PEOPLE show. It’s unclear whether Thew has an attorney representing him yet in order to respond to the charges.

The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release last week that Thew is believed to have picked up one of the juvenile victims earlier the night of the killings before family reported the girl missing. While searching for one of the juvenile girls, police learned of another girl missing and later found them both deceased in the New Lisbon home alongside Kolba.

As they searched for Thew, investigators shared the suspect’s name and photo across social media over the last week, telling the public in an earlier press release last week that he was considered “armed and dangerous.” The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office gave thanks to the public in its press release for its “assistance in providing tips that contributed to the successful resolution of this matter.”

Kolba was remembered as "a fun-loving joyous individual, who loved her friends, family and the outdoors," in an obituary shared online.

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"Beth loved working on the farm, driving the tractors, grain carts and the combine," the obituary read. "She spent her days watching her niece, Emilia, who she loved and cared for as if she was her own. Beth also loved spending time with her stepdaughter Alex and going on her school field trips. She had a ready smile for everyone and hugs to those who needed them. Beth was a true Angel with beautiful bright blue eyes and long dark brown hair, we were all blessed to have her in our presence, for the time we were allotted."

The sheriff’s office also thanked family members of the victims for helping investigators in tracking Thew down, thanking them “for their patience and cooperation throughout” the investigation.

“The New Lisbon Police Department and the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the families affected by this tragic incident,” the sheriff’s office press release said. “It is our sincere hope that this marks the beginning of the healing process as they navigate through their grief.”

Read the original article on People