Man accused of murdering three in New Lisbon appeared in court

The man accused of killing his partner and two young girls in New Lisbon last December appeared in Juneau County Court Thursday morning where a judge scheduled his preliminary hearing for August 21. 47-year-old Virgil Thew is charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide. One of those counts carries a domestic abuse modifier. He is also charged with three counts of hiding a corpse, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, taking and driving a vehicle without consent and resisting or obstructing an officer. Prosecutors allege Thew killed 33-year-old Elizabeth Kolba as well as a 12- and 13-year-old girl. Their bodies were found at a New Lisbon home on Dec. 30, 2024. Thew allegedly admitted to shooting all three victims and identified the murder weapon. During an initial appearance in February, Thew’s cash bond was set at $5 million.