Elizabeth Ann Kolba, 33, was found shot to death on December 30, 2024, inside a residence in the 300 block of West Bridge Street in New Lisbon, Wisconsin. Two young girls were also found dead with her; autopsies determined all three victims suffered gunshot wounds to the head. Investigators identified Kolba as the girlfriend of Virgil G. Thew, who lived at the residence and quickly became the central suspect in what authorities treated as a triple homicide.

Police began searching late on December 29 after being asked to help locate a missing juvenile who had last been seen with Thew. The next morning officers learned a second juvenile was missing and traced a phone location to the West Bridge Street home. Thew’s bedroom was reportedly locked and his keys fit the lock; acquaintances forced the door and discovered the bodies. Witnesses later placed Thew in the area carrying a sleeping bag that appeared to conceal a long object shaped like a firearm, and his vehicle and keys were found nearby while he was missing.

A statewide manhunt ensued; Thew was arrested in Elroy on January 9, 2025, and charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide along with additional counts including hiding a corpse and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. No conviction or acquittal had been reported as of the last available court filings. Does anyone have information about Kolba, the two girls, or their movements in the days before December 30, 2024?