Defense witnesses reveal new details about stabbing victim in Wisconsin homicide trial

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On the fifth day of the homicide trial for Randall E. Harris Jr. in Wood County Circuit Court, defense witnesses provided new details about the 59-year-old stabbing victim. Tia Daigle, who said she was with the victim for 13 1/2 years, testified about physical, mental, and drug abuse by the victim. Another witness, Joseph Andruss Jr., confirmed that the victim had requested cocaine in exchange for tinting Andruss' vehicle windows. The trial also featured testimony from police and crime lab employees about evidence collection at the crime scene.

Why it matters

The new testimony from defense witnesses challenges the previous narrative about the 59-year-old stabbing victim, potentially providing more context about the victim's behavior and relationship with the defendant. This could impact the jury's understanding of the events and the charges against Randall E. Harris Jr.

The details

Tia Daigle, who said she was with the 59-year-old man for 13 1/2 years, testified that she left him due to physical abuse, mental abuse, and drug abuse. Daigle also said the 81-year-old woman living in the home where the homicide took place told Daigle she was afraid of the 59-year-old man. Joseph Andruss Jr. testified that the 59-year-old man had requested cocaine in exchange for tinting Andruss' vehicle windows, and that Andruss had provided a small amount of cocaine. Andruss also confirmed that Facebook Messenger messages between him and the 59-year-old man's account did not include Randall E. Harris Jr., who had downloaded the 59-year-old man's account on his phone.

• The homicide occurred on October 31, 2025 in Wisconsin Rapids.
• The trial began on February 13, 2026 and is scheduled to continue through February 18, 2026.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The trial is expected to resume on February 16 and continue through February 18.