River Falls, Wis., man charged with homicide in fatal shooting of neighbor

A River Falls, Wis., man has been charged with shooting and killing his neighbor earlier this week.

Michael Dillon Price, 31, was charged with first-degree homicide in St. Croix County Circuit Court. He is accused of murdering Amy Cathleen Theis, 47, also of River Falls.

Police responded a little before 12:30 a.m. Monday to Theis' house in the 500 block of Bandle Street in River Falls. They found her lying facedown on her sidewalk and lawn just outside her front door, according to the criminal complaint.

She had an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Officers noticed the front storm door was damaged and that the windows appeared to be shattered from the inside out, the charges say.

The first officers on the scene found Price and arrested him. The charges say Price's home faces Theis' across a shared parking area.

The Wisconsin State Public Defender's office, which is representing Price, did not return a request for comment Wednesday.

In the complaint, Sgt. Scott Bangert with the River Falls Police Department alleges Price appeared intoxicated and that he made statements that led officers to suspect him in the shooting.

Four live rounds and two spent rounds from a 9mm gun were found inside Theis' home near the entrance, along with a bullet hole in the wall of the living room, the charges say. Police suspect one shot hit the wall while the other hit Theis.

Another 9mm round was found in Price's driveway near the garage door, and more ammo was found on Price's dresser, the complaint says. Price is the reported owner of a 9mm pistol, and a case was found in his bedroom but the gun was not located, the charges say.

The complaint says security footage from a resident in the same complex had audio of a gunshot, before showing a black sedan similar in appearance to the one Price owns leaving the area.

The vehicle later returned around the same time Price was contacted by law enforcement.