Waupaca (WFRV) – A man charged in the thrill killing of deer in Waupaca County was charged Wednesday with a hit and run crash that killed a young man in 2004.
Rory Kuenzi is charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and failing to report a fatal crash, in the death of Kevin McCoy, 20. McCoy was found in the early morning hours of October 23, 2004 in a ditch on Butts Rd. in the town of Farmington. He’d been struck by a car traveling at a high rate of speed, according to the criminal complaint.
"It's been a long five years for them…It's been five years to wait for charges to be brought against the man that the police identified within 24 hours of their son's death as the one who had struck and killed him,” said Steven Toney, an attorney representing McCoy’s parents in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Rory Kuenzi.
The Attorney General’s Office took over the investigation and prosecution of the case earlier this year. A John Doe investigation was launched, and a hearing was held. During the hearing, the AG’s office said witnesses were compelled to testify truthfully to the events leading up to McCoy’s death.
"It shows you the value of the John Doe investigation to develop evidence that would lead to the homicide by drunk driving charge," Toney said.
McCoy’s family credits the Attorney General’s office with gathering the evidence to file charges. The case had been sitting at the Waupaca County District Attorney’s Office for more than four years. District Attorney John Snider declined comment Wednesday, but had said in the past he was awaiting the results of a accident reconstruction report before filing charges. Meanwhile, the Waupaca Co. Sheriff’s Office, which originally investigated the case said it had turned the case over to the DA.
Toney said he believed there was a lack of supervision over the case by the Sheriff and District Attorney.
"I started pushing for a John Doe investigation with the District Attorney and I did that for a period of two to three years, but he never would do that.” Toney added, “the trail never went cold. There were a lot of leads. And that was the problem that I had with it. That these leads weren't followed up on."
According to the complaint, a witness testified at the John Doe hearing in March that he was driving behind Kuenzi as they left an underage drinking party on Butts Rd. when Kuenzi struck McCoy. Adam Klotzbuecher testified he helped Rory Kuenzi move McCoy’s body to a ditch.
Other allegations contained in the complaint include:
- Rory Kuenzi’s DNA was found in a mixture of DNA on Kevin McCoy’s pant leg
- Witnesses said Kuenzi consumed at least five 12-ounce bottles of beer at the party
- A friend of Kuenzi told others “we hit a dude” the night of the crash
Walter Engel, a friend of Rory Kuenzi who was present at the time of the crash faces a perjury charge. He is accused of lying under oath during the John Doe hearing.
Engel and Rory Kuenzi will appear in court Dec. 10.
