Richards get five years in prison for hiding murder victim

A judge this afternoon sentenced James Richards, 19, formerly of Oconomowoc, to five years in prison for hiding the body of Beau Butschke, 28, of Ixonia, who was murdered July 14.

Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Randy Koschnick also ordered Richards to five years of extended supervision to follow his prison sentence.

Richards met James T. Richardson, 51, of Ixonia, on July 13 at a gas station in the City of Oconomowoc. The following day Richardson shot and killed Butschke, his neighbor. Richardson and Butschke had a long standing dispute.

After Richardson murdered Butschke he and Richards took Butschke’s body to a storage shed in Ixonia. Richardson and Richards then went to Butschke’s residence where they drank his beer and ate his food.

Butschke’s body was found 12 days later and Richardson and Richards were arrested July 31. Richards, after initially lying to police, confessed he witnessed the murder and helped hide Butschke’s body.