Dec. 30, 2019 2:30p
(WGTD)---Troy Hoffman purportedly warned his ex-girlfriend in a text that if she tried to visit her new boyfriend, he’d shoot the man.
Driving up to Chad Bickler’s Wind Lake home last Thursday evening, the woman saw headlights in her rear-view mirror that turned out to be Hoffman’s. The ominous text had come as she was driving.
As the two exited their vehicles in front of Bickler’s home, an argument broke out, and the woman saw what appeared to be a gun in Hoffman’s hand.
As the woman backed off to call for help, Hoffman allegedly walked up to the home and began shooting. Bickler and Hoffman reportedly had been co-workers.
The 42-year-old Bickler was shot multiple times, according to a criminal complaint that was filed Monday. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the hospital.
The complaint says the 40-year-old Hoffman then left the house and started firing in the woman’s direction. She ran off and wasn’t hurt.
Within hours, the New Berlin man turned himself in to authorities in Dodge County.
Appearing in court in Racine Monday, bond for Hoffman was set at $750,000.
In addition to the murder and attempted murder charge, Hoffman is facing a charge for shooting the victim’s dog.
Another woman who was in the home at the time ran upstairs to hide when she heard shots coming from the kitchen and saw Bickler lying on the floor.
A donation page set up to help with funeral expenses has already exceeded its $20,000 goal. “His laugh lit up the room and Chad loved making people smile,” the page says.
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