MADISON (WKOW) - Court records show the man accused of killing his wife and blowing up his Madison home to cover up the crime planned to marry a Russian woman.
59-year old Steven Pirus is charged with first intentional homicide and other crimes in connection to what authorities say was his shooting of his wife, Leeanne, and manipulating utilities to cause his home to explode last month.
A search warrant affidavit filed Wednesday states investigators examined data from Pirus' phone and tablet. It states the data references a Russian woman named Olga, "...indicating she was going to come to the United States and they planned to get married." Records state the woman could not arrive in the United States from London because of visa problems.
Authorities say Pirus told investigators his wife's shooting was a mercy killing, at her request. The affidavit also says detectives found a hand gun behind Christmas ornaments in a Belleville storage unit rented under Leeanne Pirus' name.
Steven Pirus remains jailed, with a hearing next month to determine if he will stand trial.
For more on this story: http://www.wkow.com/story/36594736/2017/10/13/police-pirus-planned-to-marry-after-wifes-homicide-home-explosion