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LANPHEAR TO AVOID TRIAL
Thursday, May 28th, 2009 -- 11:35 am
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
 It appears one of the most disturbing cases in area history won’t go to trial as a Wisconsin Rapids man has reached a plea deal.
Wood County District Attorney Todd Wolf said this morning that 47-year-old Edward Lanphear of rural Wisconsin Rapids will enter pleas Monday to two counts of kidnapping and two counts of first-degree sexual assault. Under the deal, nine other felony counts will be dropped.
His trial was set to begin Monday.
Lanphear was accused of abducting and sexually assaulting a 23-year-old man and a 22-year-old man last summer. He allegedly chained one man to his basement floor; the other was chained in his garage.
The men were rescued after Lanphear left the property to get cigarettes for the man chained in the garage. He was able to free himself and run to a neighbor’s house to call authorities.
It was clear Lanphear had planned the abductions. Authorities revealed he preinstalled "fasteners" that were used to keep his victims chained at his very normal-looking Saratoga home.
Lanphear had no criminal record and had worked at a Wisconsin Rapids paper mill for 20 years.
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