Chippewa County man says he was on 'hit list' of suspect in judge slaying

Jun. 7—LAKE HALLIE — A local business owner and political candidate says he was on the receiving end of a chilling call on Friday.

Dan Marcon, owner of Marc-On Shooting Indoor Range, Pro Shop & Training Center in Lake Hallie and a Republican candidate for Chippewa County sheriff, said he was informed Friday night by the state Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation that his name was on the "hit list" of potential targets found in the vehicle of a man suspected of fatally shooting retired Juneau County Judge John Roemer early that morning.

Douglas K. Uhde, 56, is suspected of killing Roemer, 68, after entering the judge's home in the town of Lisbon around 6:30 a.m., the DOJ said Saturday in a news release. Roemer had sentenced Uhde to six years in prison for armed burglary and other weapons charges in 2005, online court records show.

Law enforcement officers tried to negotiate with Uhde before entering the residence around 10:15 a.m. Friday, the DOJ said. In the home, they found Roemer dead and zip-tied to a chair and Uhde in the basement with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A gun also was recovered at the scene.

Uhde was taken to a hospital, where he was in critical condition as of Saturday, said the agency, which declined to provide case updates on Monday.

Law enforcement officials have said the suspected gunman had a list of targets from both major political parties that included Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other individuals connected to the judicial system.

Marcon confirmed Monday that his name also was on the list.

"I'm not exactly sure how I got on that list," he said. "It's just kind of nuts."

Marcon said he wonders if it could have anything to do with his run for sheriff or the 14 years he worked for the state Department of Corrections. Marcon said he recognized Uhde's photo from the period when Marcon worked as a sergeant at Stanley Correctional Institution, but he doesn't recall that he and Uhde ever had any issues.

"I don't know what set him off," Marcon said, adding that he has dealt with death threats in the past.

While Marcon acknowledged it was unsettling to hear he was a marked man, especially when one person on the list is dead, he said it won't dramatically alter how he leads his life.

"I always carry (a firearm) anyway," Marcon said. "I'm just a little more aware of what's going on around me."

While he expressed confidence he could take care of himself, Marcon acknowledged he worries about any potential threat to family members.

The threat, along with the recent rash of mass shootings across the country, won't change his long-held views about the importance of not restricting gun rights, he said.

"It just goes to show you have to be trained and you have to carry a firearm," Marcon said. "If anything, it's a bigger activation for me to get more people trained."

The DOJ said Friday's slaying appears to be a targeted act and there is no immediate danger to the public.

Still, Marcon said he is left wondering if anyone else may have been involved with Uhde and his list of targets, with law enforcement officers sharing little information amid the active investigation.

Uhde also has convictions for escape/criminal arrest, fleeing an officer, driving a stolen vehicle and obstructing police.

Records show Uhde was released on community supervision in 2015, but was returned to prison in 2019. He was released from prison on April 14, 2020, and was under community supervision at the time of the shooting.

The Associated Press and Wisconsin State Journal contributed to this report.