Stratford Man Involved in the Death of a Marshfield Man Sentenced

Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 -- 12:00 PM

A Stratford man involved in the death of a Marshfield man was sentenced in Marathon County Court on Monday.

At the end of December 2020, a fur trapper found the body of 20-year-old Christian Schauer in a wooded area of the McMillian Marsh.  Shawn Carl and his son Jared Carl were arrested in February of 2021 after Schauer’s vehicle was found on their property.

The story behind who allegedly murdered Schauer changed repeatedly.  Initially, according to Jared Carl, Schauer came to their property on December 29th.  He and his father got into an SUV and drove into a field.

Jared stated he remained in the SUV while his father got into Schauer’s car to speak with him. Jared stated they talked for about 10 minutes before his father shot Schauer 5 to 6 times. Later a woman involved with the incident offered a different story.

Audry Benson stated that she and Schauer were friends and they met with Jared Carl and drove to the McMillian Marsh to smoke marijuana. She said she got out of the vehicle to use the bathroom and heard what sounded like a BB gun. She returned to the vehicle and found Schauer dead.

However, during a court appearance early in 2021, Jared Carl stated that he did shoot Schauer, but only because Benson had asked him too. He stated that Benson and Schauer had gotten into an argument.

He asked Benson if she wanted him to take care of Schauer and she said yes. Carl said he and Schauer were friends and he apologized before shooting him 5 to 6 times. Back in February of last year, a fourth man was charged with having a connection to the crime.

Steven Crandall, in the Wood County Jail for unrelated charges, told officials that he offered the other two suspects in the case, Jared Carl and Audrey Benson, $5,000 to kill Christian Schauer. Crandall said he asked them to kill Schauer because he stole his prescription medication.

Crandall said the two met with him at a hotel in Marshfield and showed him a picture of the body and he paid them. Carl and Benson then dumped his body in the McMillan Marsh in Spencer.

During Shawn Carl’s court appearance on Monday, was found guilty of, due to a no contest plea, harboring/aiding a felon, obstructing an officer, and possession of a machine gun. A couple other charges were dismissed and read in. He received a withheld sentence of four years of probation as long as he completes all the conditions of the sentence, which includes six months in jail.

In July of last year, Jared pleaded guilty to first degree intentional homicide. Several other charges were dismissed and read in. He was sentenced to life in prison, but he is eligible for release and extended supervision after 35 years.

Back in May of last year, Benson pleaded guilty to hiding a corpse. Several other charges were dismissed and read in. She was sentenced to 4 years in state prison and 3 years of extended supervision.

Crandall has been charged with 1st degree intentional homicide. He pleaded not guilty in July of last year. He’s scheduled to be back in court on Thursday.

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