23-year-old Ripon man is third suspect convicted in 2023 fentanyl overdose death

Daphne Lemke, Fond du Lac Reporter
·2 min read

RIPON – 23-year-old Michael R. Manske is the third suspect convicted in connection with a 2023 fentanyl overdose death in Ripon.

Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney announced Sept. 10 Manske pled no contest to all four counts charged: first degree reckless homicide, maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 21 in front of Judge Andrew Christenson.

The morning of April 7, 2023, Ripon Police Department officers responded to reports of a man lying on a sidewalk and found the 18-year-old victim dead on Scott Street and Stanton Street.

Manske and four teens were arrested that July, suspected to have given the man fentanyl-laced narcotics, observed him overdose and left him on the sidewalk near Manske's residence, failing to call for medical assistance, according to the criminal complaint.

For more than three months during the investigation, every officer in the department was involved in some way with this case and had a hand in its conclusion, Ripon Police Chief William Wallner said when the suspects were arrested.

The victim has not been publicly identified in the police updates or criminal complaint.

Co-defendant Maison Springston, 18, pleaded guilty Aug. 1 and has a status conference scheduled for Oct. 10. Joseph Schmidt-Rehbein pleaded no contest Sept. 6, and his sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 20.

The other defendants, presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, are scheduled to appear in court in November: Donavyn Mueller is scheduled for a five-day jury trial Nov. 4, and Olivia Nordvold is scheduled for a plea hearing Nov. 11.

The Ripon Police Department continues to investigate this case. Assistant District Attorney David Maas and Toney prosecuted.

Contact Daphne Lemke at dlemke@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Third Ripon suspect convicted in 2023 fentanyl overdose death