Spot Free Cleaners Owner Accused Of Killing Man, Burning: Report

FRANKLIN, WI -- The owner of a popular cleaning business in Franklin has been arrested and charged after authorities say he killed one of his employees and burned bodies of two of his former employees on his hunting property in Walworth County.

Matthew Neumann, 43, Franklin, has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse. If convicted, Neumann can face up to 40 years behind bars, in addition to probation and supervision time.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County, Neumann, the owner of Spot Free Cleaning, located at 8581 S. 27th Street in Franklin, stands accused of shooting and killing one employee from the business, and burning the body of he and a body of a second employee in a burn pit on land he currently leases in East Troy.

Investigators say the investigation began on Jan. 2 when officers were dispatched to a truck fire on the 2000 block of S. 8th St. in Milwaukee.

The criminal complaint says investigators traced the vehicle - a black 2001 Ford F-250 - back to Neumann the day of the fire. When investigators made contact with Neumann, they said he smelled of the same chemical that they found at the scene of his burnt truck.

During the course of the next week, investigators say they discovered bullet fragments and blood residue inside the burnt cabin of Neumann's vehicle. During that same time, investigators reported that two men who used to work for Neumann at Spot Free Cleaning had suddenly gone missing and were not answering cell phone calls.

According to the criminal complaint, Franklin investigators conducted a search warrant of Spot Free Cleaners that week, only to have a body-detecting dog signal to officers four separate times during the search of the building.

Authorities also searched Neumann's residence, and learned that he leased land in the Mukwonago area for hunting, reports stated.

According to the criminal complaint, officers investigated that land - located on Highway J in East Troy. During the search, which took place on Jan. 10 and 11, police reportedly found a Spot Free Cleaning trailer. Next to that trailer was a burn pit that contained the heavily-charred remains of two people.

According to the complaint, Neumann was seen on security footage at the Mukwonago Home Depot buying charcoal, lighter fluid and lumber. During their investigation, a nearby resident told police that there had been a large fire on Neumann's hunting property during that week.

Police say a preliminary forensic analysis of the remains of the two bodies revealed that the two bodies were between 23 and 41 years of age, and that both of Neumann's deceased former employees fall within that range.

Image Via Milwaukee County Jail