Conditional Release Ordered for Jackson County Man Charged with 1st Degree Intentional Homicide

Thursday, December 22nd, 2022 -- 11:01 AM

Yesterday morning, in Jackson County Circuit Court, Monroe County Judge Mark L. Goodman ordered conditional release for Lars Helgeson, who had been committed for life to the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services in 2017. 

In 2013, Helgeson was charged with first degree intentional homicide, among other charges.  He admitted to killing his father by shooting him four times, burning his father’s body, and burying it in an ATV track on the family property.

Former Jackson County District Attorney Gerald Fox stipulated that Helgeson was not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, and Helgeson was committed. Earlier this year, Dr. Craig Schoenecker was appointed to evaluate Helgeson to determine whether he was appropriate for conditional release from Mendota Mental Health Institute.

Schoenecker determined that Helgeson did not pose a significant risk of bodily harm to himself or others if conditionally released in the community. Current Jackson County District Attorney Emily Hynek strenuously objected to Schoenecker’s finding that Helgeson should be released from Mendota Mental Health Institute.

A hearing was held over the course of two days before Judge Goodman during which Hynek questioned Dr. Schoenecker at length regarding the foundation for his opinion regarding Helgeson, and offered additional testimony regarding the nature and circumstances of his crimes to support her opposition to his release.

Nonetheless, Judge Goodman found that a careful balancing of society’s interests against the defendant’s interest in autonomy weighed in favor of autonomy for the defendant.  A conditional release plan for Helgeson will be later approved and finalized by the court.

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