Business Owner Responding to Alarm Murdered by Felon, Captured on Video

Sept. 25, 2004
Video captures suspect entering owner's office with shotgun, then running away after presumed homicide

A man charged with killing a salvage yard owner said he went to the business to steal gasoline and car parts, according to court records.

Heinz Krause, 66, of Pleasant Prairie, was found dead early Sunday after he responded to a burglar alarm at his business.

Wayne J. Hart Jr., 49, of Lake Geneva, was charged Thursday with a first-degree intentional homicide.

A video camera at the business caught Krause confronting Hart, who was in a car in the locked salvage yard, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kenosha County Circuit Court.

Krause, who appeared to have a shotgun, walked the suspect back to the main office, according to the complaint. The tape later showed the suspect running out the back door.

About 12 hours later, Hart told someone ``he had been at Schneider's to look for parts for his van and that the old guy at the junk yard pulled a shotgun on him,'' according to the complaint.

Hart said he swung at Krause and the two began fighting, according to the complaint. Hart then ``hit the guy hard to put him down,'' the complaint said.

Defense attorney Charles Bennett said while Hart might have hit Krause, he might have done so in self defense.

``There's no indication he hit him hard to kill him or had any intent to do that,'' Bennett said.

Hart also was charged with theft, possession of a firearm by a felon and bail jumping.