Taylor County Man Sentenced for Strangling Another Patient at Mental Health Facility

Monday, August 26th, 2024 -- 3:00 PM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) A Taylor County man accused of strangling another man at the Almost Home Again residential mental health facility has been given a life sentence with the possibility of parole.

According to Mike Leischner with WSAU, Cory Carlson pled guilty to killing Joseph Bonney in mid-January by strangling while both were being treated at the facility. As part of the deal, a judge made him eligible to apply for parole after 30 years.

The 38-year-old has previously pled not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, saying he had been having “bad thoughts” and was delusional at the time of the incident. Staff at the facility also noted that Carlson had been walking out into subzero temperatures without shoes or a winter coat.

Bonney was found unresponsive in his room on January 18th. At the time officers weren’t ready to name a suspect but said they had reason to believe it was another patient at the facility.

Carlson was given credit for just over 200 days already served. He will be eligible to apply for parole in 2054 when he is 68. Court records show a victim impact statement was submitted for consideration.

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