Michael Burroughs incompetent for trial

Michael Burroughs, the boyfriend of Shannon Fischer who disappeared in December 2006, has been declared incompetent to stand trial in Shannon’s murder. The case had been a complete mystery until last October, when Burroughs walked into the police station and confessed to the homicide. Shannon’s body apparently ended up in a landfill, which means that after all this time it’s probably not recoverable.

Burroughs is apparently delusional and possibly psychotic, but the shrinks think medication will make him better again. He will be treated in the state hospital and get examined every three months to see if he’s competent. Apparently this can’t last longer than a year — I’m not sure what happens after that, do they drop the charges or what?

Articles:
The Dubuque Telegraph Herald
The La Crosse Tribune
The La Crosse Tribune again

More details on Shannon Fischer murder case

This is three weeks old but I just found it: it has come out that Michael Burroughs, the man who confessed to murdering Shannon Fischer, was paranoid and thought he was being poisoned at the time he made his confession. They’re going to investigate his competency, but he might use the insanity defense.

Whatever Burroughs’s current mental state, no one is disputing the facts of the case, that he strangled Shannon and disposed of her body. He is facing charges of first-degree reckless homicide and hiding a corpse.

More details in Shannon Fischer murder case

Some more information has emerged in Shannon Fischer‘s presumed murder, according to this article. Earlier this month, her boyfriend confessed to strangling her. Now the motive has been made public: he thought she had stolen his drugs, specifically methamphetamine. He says he acted completely alone in the crime and told no one about it until four years later, when he walked into the police station and made his statement. No word yet as to why he chose to own up to it after all this time, when he could have gotten away with it.

Drug abuse takes another victim. Or four: Shannon, certainly; her boyfriend, who will spend the rest of his life in prison; and Shannon’s two children, who were both only babies when they lost their mother.

Surprise: a murder confession in Shannon Fischer disappearance

A man has confessed to murdering 23-year-old Shannon Fischer, who disappeared from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin in 2006. The suspect, Michael Burroughs, was Shannon’s boyfriend. He just walked into the police department and made his statement, just like that. Previous information indicated everyone Shannon knew had been ruled out as suspects in her case and the police thought she was the victim of a random attacker. Ah well, cops aren’t always right.

Burroughs has been arrested and first-degree murder charges are expected. Supposedly, he strangled her. Shannon left behind two young children, and she may have been pregnant again at the time of her disappearance.

Articles:
WXOW 19
Chicago Tribune
Prairie du Chien Today
The La Crosse Tribune