The Wisconsin woman accused of killing her boyfriend and hiding his body pleaded guilty to a homicide charge on the eve of her trial, court records show.
With her trial set to begin on April 17, 30-year-old Crystal Pharis, pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree homicide in the 2019 death of 26-year-old Jason Dailey. She had originally been charged with first-degree homicide as well as hiding a corpse and four counts of bail jumping.
Prosecutors amended their first-degree charge to second degree status during Friday’s hearing and the rest of the charges were dismissed, according to court records.
On Nov. 12, 2019, Dailey was found dead at a home on W. 9th Street, in Necedah, by deputies conducting a welfare check. Court documents indicated they were asked to look in on the victim because he had not gone to work for two days, which was unusual for him. When the deputies arrived, Pharis reportedly told them she had not seen him for two days and he had left behind his wallet and both his vehicles.
The deputies left, but returned a short time later, prosecutors recounted. This time a man let them inside. Deputies found Pharis unresponsive and, when they moved her, her child was found underneath. A bag of pills and medication were also sitting next to them.
A detective discovered Dailey’s body covered in blankets in a bedroom of home. The Sheriff’s Office reported he had suffered significant trauma to the head and the Juneau Co. Medical Examiner’s Office indicated its autopsy confirmed he died from blunt force trauma.
Investigators interviewed the man who answered the door, the court documents continued, and he stated that Dailey and Pharis were the only people in that home between Nov. 8 and Nov. 12, the day the deputies conducted the welfare check. The man described Pharis as moody and angry with violent tendencies. He told investigators that Pharis had physically assaulted Dailey three days before his body was discovered, but that Dailey did not strike her back.
The man claimed Pharis was convinced Dailey had been cheating on her and that was causing Pharis to be ‘angry and irrational.’
Her sentencing is set for July 7.
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