KAUKAUNA (NBC 26) -- Months after two children were found dead in a Kaukauna home, the father of the children has now been formally charged in their deaths.
The father, Matthew Beyer, is a Manitowoc resident and the biological father of 5-year-old William and 3-year-old Danielle Beyer.
The children were found dead in February with "intentionally inflicted injuries."
According to the criminal complaint, both children had "sharp force injuries" to their necks, with William having injuries to the head as well as the neck.
The criminal complaint shows investigators identified Matthew Beyer's vehicle as matching a witness description of a vehicle seen in the area around the time of the crime.
The criminal complaint notes two interviews authorities had with Beyer, one in February and one in June. The detective notes in the criminal complaint how Beyer showed little emotion upon hearing about the death of his two children. The detective found Matthew’s lack of emotion extremely unusual. The complaint also notes Beyer had visible cuts to his hands and a scratch to his forearm. Beyer stated in the complaint that his injuries were from work.
The complaint says officers collected traffic camera and surveillance footage from the Manitowoc and Kaukauna areas, showing how Beyer drove his vehicle to and from Kaukauna in the early morning hours of February 17, the same day the children were found dead.
The timeline in the complaint then jumps to June, where Matthew Beyer was interviewed again. The complaint says Beyer acknowledged going into the residence where the children lived on February 17. He said in went into the children's bedroom and saw them sleeping.
At this point in the interview summarized in the complaint, there is no direct confession or mention from Beyer about harming the children.
Later in the interview, the criminal complaint said a detective showed Beyer printed pictures of knives. Beyer said he likes decorative knives and has a collection. Later in the interview, the criminal complaint said Beyer stated there was a missing knife.
The criminal complaint also includes statements from a witness, who recalled a conversation with Beyer after the children were found dead. The criminal complaint said the witness told police about a conversation in which Beyer speculated about how he would kill the children, "if he would have done it."
The criminal complaint also notes tension between Matthew Beyer and the children's mother, the mother's husband and Beyer's wife. The complaint said Beyer paid child support but had little contact with the children. The complaint also notes that Beyer questioned his paternity to the children.
Matthew Beyer was in court for a bail hearing Wednesday afternoon. A judge set bond for $2.5 million.
In addition to criminal charges in the children's deaths, Beyer is also faces criminal charges in an unrelated case, where he is accused of trying to escape from Outagamie County Jail.
