ALTOONA, WI – A Wisconsin woman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following the discovery of her roommate’s dismembered body in a river in Illinois, as well as evidence linking her financially to the deceased.
Tracey Clark, 57, was sentenced on Tuesday after pleading no contest to second-degree reckless homicide in the death of 79-year-old Dennis Schattie. The investigation revealed that Schattie’s remains were found wrapped in a plastic tarp near a dam on the Rock River in Rockford, Illinois. Alongside the remains were financial documents indicating Clark as the beneficiary of Schattie’s annuity account.
The prosecution, led by Eau Claire County Assistant District Attorney Kelly Ronquist, alleged that Clark’s boyfriend, Brandon Gaston, 48, played a direct role in the gruesome crime. Gaston is accused of beheading Schattie and severing his fingers with a knife found inside the dwelling they shared. Gaston, who faces his trial in March, allegedly committed the act after striking Schattie.
In court, Ronquist characterized Schattie as a compassionate individual who thought highly of Clark. Ronquist lamented Clark’s betrayal, asserting that her involvement led to Schattie’s violent end in a place that should have offered him comfort and safety.
Clark expressed remorse during the sentencing, acknowledging Schattie’s benevolent nature, stating, “Denny was a good man and didn’t deserve this.”
The horrifying scene of the crime unfolded in April of last year when Schattie’s remains, along with his labeled dentures, were retrieved from the waters near the dam. Police determined Schattie was killed and dismembered at the Altoona residence he occupied with Clark and Gaston, approximately 250 miles north of where his remains were discovered.
Authorities revealed that Clark confessed to her involvement, admitting that Gaston hit Schattie on the head with a hammer and then sexually assaulted her. Under duress, she assisted in relocating Schattie’s body to their garage, where it was subsequently dismembered. Clark further admitted to discarding Schattie’s head into the Rock River.
As the legal proceedings continue, with Gaston’s trial on the horizon, the chilling details of the crime remain a stark reminder of the betrayal and violence that led to the tragic loss of Schattie’s life.