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Yeng Moua, 25, of Eau Claire was charged in Eau Claire County Circuit Court with first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Joseph D. Weisenbeck, 29, of Menomonie early Friday morning.
Moua was jailed on a $500,000 cash bond after a court appearance Friday. Eau Claire County District Attorney Rich White said Moua had a criminal record and gang ties.
“He has been in and out of prison multiple times,” White said.
Moua, who has lived at various places in the La Crosse area, served prison time for a 2003 false imprisonment conviction in La Crosse County. And in September of 2005, Moua was placed on three years probation for possession of methamphetamine.
Weisenbeck was riding in a vehicle with four others when he got out at a stop light and argued with Moua, who was alone, Eau Claire Police Lt. Tim Golden said.
“They just started arguing and both got out of the car. They called each other out for a fight,”’ Golden said. “There is no known history between the suspect and victim.”
Weisenbeck was stabbed in the chest with a fish filet knife and died about 1:45 a.m., Golden said.
The investigation continued Friday into what the men argued about, Golden said.
“There were some derogatory comments made back and forth. Comments about somebody’s mother,” he said.
At an earlier stop light, there had been some conversation between the vehicles about how to obtain beer late at night in Eau Claire, Golden said.
Weisenbeck’s friends got Moua’s license plate number and called police with it as they drove Weisenbeck to a hospital, police said. Officers arrested Moua and recovered a knife authorities say may have been used in the killing.
