Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Reward offered for Iron murder suspect

EAGLE RIVER, Wis. — A day after news broke that an Iron County murder suspect unsuccessfully tried to turn himself in to the Vilas County Jail a week ago, a reward for his arrest was announced.

James B. Lussier, 19, of Arbor Vitae, showed up at the Vilas County Justice Center in Eagle River on Feb. 9, but was told he needed to turn himself in to the Iron County Sheriff’s Department in Hurley instead. He and two female companions then left the building without him being detained.

On Friday, Vilas County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Patrick Schmidt sent the Daily Globe a flyer saying a $500 reward will be paid for information leading to the apprehension of Lussier, who was still on the loose. It listed a wetip.com contact, or 1-800-78-CRIME.

The poster says tip information can remain confidential and if Lussier is spotted, the nearest law enforcement department should be contacted.

Lussier and four other men are charged in the death Wayne Valliere, 25, the Lac du Flambeau man whose body was found on New Year’s Day in the Mercer area.

Vilas County Sheriff Joseph Fath confirmed that Lussier came to the sheriff’s department window around 8 p.m. that Friday, accompanied by two women, one of whom was his mother.

The sheriff said the information about him going to Iron County was meant as a joke, and Lussier was then told he could be booked at the jail, and was told to sit down.

He then left the building.

Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Richard Dufour, lead special prosecutor, has also filed charges in Iron County Circuit Court against Richard F.A. Allen, 27, of Lac du Flambeau; Evan T. Oungst, 27, of Arbor Vitae; Curtis A. Wolfe, 26, of Lac du Flambeau, and Joseph D. Lussier, 26, of Lac du Flambeau.

The suspects are scheduled to appear in Iron County Court on March 5 on charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime while armed with a dangerous weapon and also hiding a corpse.

Valliere was shot eight times after being beaten. A criminal complaint says the suspects thought he was a confidential informant.

The criminal complaint mentions Native Soldiers gang affiliations.

 
 
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