Onalaska Church Murders

History

On the morning of February 7, 1985, Bryan Stanley, 29, shot and killed Father John Rossiter, lay minister Ferdinand Roth and parish custodian William Hammes at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Onalaska.  Stanley had a deep interest in religion and when picked up by police near the crime scene he told officers that he was Elijah.  He was allegedly upset that Father Rossiter allowed girls to read the Scriptures during Mass as the pope authorized.  In the end, Stanley was judged insane and not legally responsible for the slayings.

Stanley is still being held in the state's mental health facility.  Bryan Stanley's mother, Mary, was successful in 1996 in helping to change Wisconsin law to include a "fifth standard" for commitment to allow families of mentally ill adults to seek help through an involuntary commitment process for a person who is unable or unwilling to seek help on his or her own.


Date

Page

Title of Article

Paper Size & Orientation
for Printing
7 Feb 1985 1 3 killed in church shooting landscape 11' x 17" ledger
7 Feb 1985 8 3 killed in church shooting . . .continued portrait 8½" x 11"
7 Feb 1985 1 Priest was 'best friend' for St. Pat's students portrait 8½" x 11"
7 Feb 1985 8 Priest was 'best friend' for St. Pat's students. . . continued portrait 8½" x 11"
8 Feb 1985 1 A shattered parish asks why landscape 11' x 17" ledger
8 Feb 1985 8 A shattered parish asks why . . .continued landscape 8½" x 11"  
8 Feb 1985 1 Suspect had deep interest in religion landscape 11' x 17" ledger
8 Feb 1985 8 Suspect had deep interest in religion . . .continued portrait 8½" x 11" 
8 Feb 1985 9 Onalaska stunned by brutal killings landscape 11' x 17" ledger
11 Feb 1985 1 Suspect's bond set at $150,000 portrait 8½" x 11" 
11 Feb 1985 12 Suspect's bond set at $150,000 . . .continued landscape 8½" x 11"
11 Feb 1985 1 & 12 Officer almost shot Stanley during arrest portrait 8½" x 11" 
11 Feb 1985 1 Thousands mourn loss of 'God's gift' landscape 11' x 17" ledger
11 Feb 1985 12 Thousands mourn loss of 'God's gift' . . .continued portrait 8½" x 11" 
27 Oct 1985 1 Stanley's time of reckoning portrait 8½" x 11" 
27 Oct 1985 16 Stanley's time of reckoning . . .continued portrait 8½" x 11"
29 Oct 1985 1 Stanley mulled more slayings portrait 8½" x 11" 
29 Oct 1985 8 Stanley mulled more slayings. . .continued portrait 8½" x 11" 
31 Oct 1985 1 Arrest just the first step for police in Onalaska portrait 8½" x 11" 
31 Oct 1985 6 Arrest just the first step for police in Onalaska . . .continued portrait 8½" x 11" 
31 Oct 1985 1 Judge's ruling no surprise to prosecutor portrait 8½" x 11" 
31 Oct 1985 16 Judge's ruling no surprise to prosecutor . . .continued portrait 8½" x 11" 
31 Dec 1985 1 Touched by tragedy landscape 11" x 17" ledger
31 Dec 1985 27 Touched by tragedy . . .continued portrait 8½" x 11" 
13 Oct 1990 A-10 Mom seeks 5th rule for commitment portrait 8½" x 11" 
27 Aug 1992 A-1 He wants out portrait 8½" x 11" 
27 Aug 1992 A He wants out . . .continued landscape 11" x 17" ledger
7 Feb 1995 B-1 Ten years later, they're remembered portrait 8½" x 11" 
27 July 1995 A-1 Stanley will stay in facility landscape 11" x 17" ledger
20 Feb 1996 B-1 Mental commitment bill passes portrait 8½" x 11" 
26 April 1996 B-1 Onalaska tragedy fostered mental commitment law portrait 8½" x 11" 
19 Jan 1999 A-4 Judge made right call on mental commitment portrait 8½" x 11"