‘Armed and dangerous’ wise man arrested for allegedly killing woman and two girls in home

Police in Juneau County, Wisconsin, say they have arrested a man wanted in connection with the deaths of a woman and two girls at a New Lisbon home last month.

The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office said in a brief Facebook update Thursday that Virgil Thew was arrested in Elroy, Wisconsin due to an “increased law enforcement presence” in the area after receiving information about a “suspicious” man.

IN press release later that day, the sheriff’s office said Thew was “taken into custody without incident” shortly after officers arrived on the scene.

Thew was reportedly arrested in connection with the murders of 33-year-old Elizabeth Kolby and two girls, ages 12 and 13, at a home in New Lisbon on December 30. Associated Press. As reported by the website, police believe that Thew, 47, knew the victims.

The police did not confirm any connections between the victims.

Thew faces three counts of first-degree intentional homicide, according to Wisconsin court records reviewed by PEOPLE. It is unclear whether Thew already has an attorney representing him to respond to the allegations.

The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release last week that Thew was believed to have taken one of the minor victims the night of the murder, before the family reported the girl missing. While searching for one of the underage girls, police learned that another girl was missing and later found both of them dead in a house in New Lisbon next to Kolba.

During the search for Thew, investigators last week shared the suspect’s name and photo on social media, informing the public in an earlier news release that he was considered “armed and dangerous.” The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office, in a press release, thanked the public for “helping to provide tips that contributed to the successful resolution of this case.”

Kolba was remembered as “a fun-loving, joyful person who loved her friends, family and the outdoors.” obituary made available on the Internet.

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“Beth loved working on the farm, driving tractors, grain wagons and a combine,” the obituary read. “She spent her days watching her niece Emilia, whom she loved and cared for like her own daughter. Beth also loved spending time with her stepdaughter Alex and going on school trips. She smiled at everyone and gave hugs to those who needed them, Beth was a true Angel with beautiful light blue eyes and long dark brown hair, we were all blessed to have her in our presence for the time we were allotted.”

The sheriff’s office also thanked family members of the victims for helping investigators track down Thew, thanking them “for their patience and cooperation” during the investigation.

“The New Lisbon Police Department and the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office would like to express their sincere condolences to the families affected by this tragic event,” reads a press release from the sheriff’s office. “We sincerely hope this marks the beginning of a healing process as they move through their grief.”