A Winneconne man’s long divorce battle ended in court on a Friday, just hours before police discovered him and his two teenage daughters dead inside his home. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as 57-year-old Jeffrey Manke, along with his daughters, 16-year-old Jaelyn Manke and 11-year-old Lenora Manke.
Deputies arrived at Manke’s residence in the 500 block of Division Street around 7 p.m. after receiving calls to perform a welfare check. Upon entering the home, officers discovered all three family members dead. Authorities quickly declared the incident contained, telling neighbors there was no ongoing danger to the surrounding neighborhood.
Public records show that earlier that same day, a judge officially granted a divorce between Jeffrey Manke and his ex-wife, Lindsey Dash, who was listed in court filings as Lindsey Lewandowski. The court ruled that the marriage was irretrievably broken and that no reconciliation was possible after years of disputes.
While investigators have not revealed how Manke or his daughters died, the girls’ mother claims Manke showed clear warning signs long before Friday evening. Dash stated publicly that her daughters made multiple attempts to tell adults about their safety concerns while in their father’s care.
Dash said Manke remained part of the girls’ lives because legal custody arrangements required mandatory visitation. Despite multiple reports filed with local law enforcement and child protective services, officials continued to clear Manke for visits. Dash noted that even a family counselor dismissed the girls when they spoke up about their father.
The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office has kept details regarding the crime scene locked down while detectives continue working the case. Law enforcement has not named Manke an official suspect in a homicide-suicide, but they confirmed no outside suspects are being sought in connection with the deaths on Division Street.
As the police investigation moves forward, members of the local community have begun offering financial support to the surviving mother. An online GiveSendGo campaign created for Dash reached over $20,000 by Tuesday morning, while family friends continue to question why previous complaints against Manke went unanswered by authorities.
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