Local man dies after Madison armed robbery

Twin Lakes family in need of support

While Madison police are reportedly seeking two suspects in an armed robbery, which left a 56-year-old Twin Lakes man dead of a heart attack after Tuesday’s robbery, the city’s police chief characterized the suspects as vile and reprehensible at a news conference to Madison area reporters this week.

Meanwhile, as the investigation continues, a local family is in mourning.

The Dane County Medical Examiner’s identified the man as Christ E. Kneubuehl.

Although the 56-year-old did not die as a direct result from the armed robbery, Madison Police Chief Mike Koval told Madison reporters Tuesday the crime equates to homicide.

“Felony murder, it couldn’t be clearer: whoever caused the death of another human being while committing or attempting to commit a crime. That’s a felony,” Koval said, according to WKOW. “That’s a significant felony.”

According to WKOW in Madison, the armed robbery reportedly happened at around 3 a.m., when four workers were tiling the floor of Culver’s Restaurant on Beltline Highway.

As the four worked, two masked suspects invaded the restaurant, and forced the Kneubuehl to open the safe.

The other suspect, however, held the three other workers at gunpoint and prevented them from offering help, despite signs of physical distress from Kneubuehl, the Wisconsin State Journal reports.

In the State Journal report, Kneubuehl’s brother, Tom, described him as ‘a bigger-than-life guy, a really strong man with a big heart, but in the end, all of what happened was just too much for him.’

After the safe was opened, the suspects reportedly fled the scene, giving the three workers an opportunity to call for help.

“There’s a certain vileness, a certain despicability about the whole thing because, in essence…I think you have an instance where the victim was literally scared to death, to the point of death,” said Madison Police Chief Mike Koval at a Tuesday news conference, according to WKOW.

Local family needs support
As Madison police seek clues, an area family is in need of support, according to a GoFundMe page set up by Susan Schmidt of Lake Geneva.

The GoFundMe page, titled Lisa Obertin and family, states the experience has left the family struggling to cope.

“Lisa’s “love of her life”. Christ Edward Kneubuehl, tragically lost his life during an armed robbery while working in Madison this past week,” the GoFundMe page states. “Lisa and Christ were truly soulmates and I cannot put into words how emotionally distraught she, her boys, and her family are. He was a kind and gentle soul that cared for his family and Lisa in the sweetest and most responsible way.”

The State Journal reports Kneubuehl left behind Obertin, two adult stepsons, an adult daughter, a 14-year-old son, a granddaughter and two brothers and a sister.


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One response to “Local man dies after Madison armed robbery”

  1. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    I am sorry, he DID die as a result of the robbery! Had he not been held at gunpoint and asked to open a safe, he would be alive with his family today!! This statement is absolutely absurd! Do not let the severity of this incident be lessened by that statement. These men are MURDERERS! Nothing less!!