Final pre-trial postponed for overdose suspect

Resolution possible, court records state

By Jason Arndt
Editor

A 29-year-old Patch Grove man who allegedly supplied a lethal dose of heroin had his Oct. 27 final pre-trial postponed until Nov. 13, online court records state, which indicated a possible resolution could come.

Michael H. Peterson, held in Kenosha County Jail since Aug. 18, when he received a $50,000 cash bond, pleaded not guilty to first-degree reckless homicide as a repeater and manufacture/deliver heroin at a Sept. 8 arraignment in relation to the death of Rachael L. Guiliano, 35.

Michael H. Petersen

Previously, Petersen was convicted of felony retail theft in Will County, Ill. in March, 2012 and served about seven months in prison, according to the criminal complaint.

Additionally, Petersen was also convicted of possession of a controlled substance, the complaint states.

If convicted, Petersen faces a maximum of 40 years in prison for the reckless homicide charge, the complaint states. Since he is repeater, Petersen could see an extra six years.

According to the criminal complaint, the May 24 death happened at Donavan’s Reef in Twin Lakes, where officers received reports from a staff that Petersen did not leave the premises.

The staff, the complaint contends, told officers he saw someone sleeping inside the room.

Officers then entered the room, where they discovered Guiliano nude with several bags containing white power on a nearby table, the complaint states.

Guiliano, pronounced dead by the Kenosha County Medical Examiner, was identified through her Facebook profile and an employer.

The complaint shows Petersen, who lived in Grant County, allegedly received several instant messages and phone calls from Guiliano about a drug transaction before her death.

Later, according to a bartender at Donovan’s Reef, the two met at the establishment instead of staying at her apartment.

Investigators later contacted Grant County authorities, who told them Petersen lives in Patch Grove with his mother, and was under a current investigation for theft.

Meanwhile, through two days of reviewing evidence, authorities discovered items from Grant County-area businesses and a receipt showing a food stamp transaction.

The complaint contends the numbers matched Petersen’s EBT card.

After the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded Guiliano died of a heroin overdose, authorities issued an arrest warrant for Petersen on July 14, and was later taken into custody and booked into Kenosha County Jail on Aug. 18.


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