PORTAGE, Wis. — A competency hearing has been ordered for a woman accused of being the “mastermind” of a kidnapping in Dane County that became a murder in Columbia County.
Columbia County Judge Troy Cross on Friday ordered 38-year-old Laura Marie Angela Johnson to undergo a competency exam before her case can go forward. The results of the exam will be considered at a competency hearing scheduled for October 19, where a ruling will be made on whether she is competent to stand trial.
Johnson is one of three people — along with 28-year-old Jesse Freiberg and 21-year-old Ja’Kenya Patty — charged in the kidnapping and subsequent murder of a person on June 14. Prosecutors allege the trio pulled the victim into his own car in Dane County before driving to a rural area of Columbia County. The victim allegedly tried to run away before Freiberg pulled out a gun and shot him.
The victim’s body was later found in the area of Klappstein Road and State Highway 16, northwest of Portage.
The kidnapping allegedly started with an argument over money, according to authorities, with Patty allegedly saying they wanted the victim’s car. Prosecutors claim Johnson was the “mastermind” of the events, due to her being the person who was seen yelling at the victim before beating him and binding him, then leading him to the car.
Freiberg also said Johnson told him to shoot the victim when he started running.
RELATED: ‘We want the car’: 3 facing homicide charges in kidnapping-turned-killing
All three are being held in the Columbia County jail on significant bails. Judge Cross previously set bond at $500,000 cash for Patty, $750,000 for Johnson, and $1 million for Freiberg.
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
