UPDATED Thursday, May 15 --- 2:20pm

Mark Staskal will not be moving into the Brighter Life Living facility, which is near Lapham Elementary in Madison.

According to the Rock County DA, the group home has notified the Department of Health and Family Services there is no longer a place for Staskal at their home.

The DA tells NBC15 News, the Department of Health and Family Services will now search for a new facility/home to house him.

________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 -- 9:15 PM

A murderer who's spent years in a mental institution will be released and placed in an adult home near a Madison elementary school. Forty-four year old Mark Staskal killed his sister back in 1984 and was found not guilty due to mental problems. Now, he will be released into a group home that's less than a block from Lapham Elementary School on Madison's east side. Michael Hertting is the principal at the school and he's concerned about Staskal moving into the neighborhood. "My job is to work with the agencies and departments to minimize the risk and make sure our kids are safe here," said Hertting.

Staskal's parents are also concerned about their son's release into the community. "I hope the parents of the children in the school for the first month pick up their children, take them to school guard them as closely as they can," said Redgie Staskal.

The Staskal's say it's only a matter of time before they feel their son will be back in Mendota Mental Health Institution. "He's not well. He's as sick today as he was when he killed my daughter," said Redgie Staskal.

Meantime, Jason Standish, the man who runs the group home says he believes his facility can handle Staskal's needs. "I don't have any educational background, formal background, in social work, but I have been doing this for 12 years," Standish explained to a Rock County Judge.

Mark Staskal's legal counsel said the same thing. He said there's guidelines set up to account for appropriate monitoring of Staskal's medications and whereabouts. "It sets forth a treatment plan that should be used in Mark's situation, it is comprehensive. It provides for 24-7 supervision," Staskal's legal counsel said.

However, Lapham Elementary is not taking any chances. A note went home to parents explaining the situation and asking them to be aware. "Our playground is well supervised and I have complete faith that our children will be safe at this school--they have been and they will continue to be," said Hertting.

This isn't the first time Staskal was released from Mendota. He was moved to a group home in Eau Claire in November of last year but was eventually returned to Mendota.

________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday, May 13, 2008 --- 11:30 AM

A judge said Tuesday morning that murderer Mark Staskal can be released from a mental hospital, and moved to an adult family home.

Forty four-year-old Staskal stabbed his sister Marcy to death in 1984 in Milton, but was found not guilty by reason of mental disease.

He had been living in the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, but was moved to a group home in Eau Claire on November 5, 2007.

He was eventually returned to the Mendota.

The adult family home Staskal is to be released to is close to Lapham Elementary School.

Keep checking back with nbc15.com for updates.

________________________________________________________________________________

Updated Wednesday --- December 19, 2007 -- 5:11pm

A Rock County judge ruled that Mark Staskal should be released from Mendota Mental Health Institute.

Staskal will once again be placed in the community, although it is not certain where or when he will be placed.

Staskal had been released to a group home in Eau Claire in November against his own parent's wishes.

He was returned over issues related to his treatment plan.

The Department of Health and Family Services will come up with a new plan for him within 60 days.

Post Your Own COMMENTS Below

________________________________________________________________________________

Posted Monday --- November 19, 2007 -- 11:12am

We now know why a man accused of killing his sister is back at a Madison Mental Health facility.

Eau Claire officials say Mark Staskal returned to Mendota mental Mental Health Institute Friday because of treatment plan issues.

Earlier this month, the 43-year-old was transferred to a group home in Eau Claire.

Staskal killed his sister more than 20 years ago, but was found not legally responsible because of his mental condition.

________________________________________________________________________________

Posted Friday --- November 16, 2007 -- 6:04pm

The Mendota Mental Health Institute says murderer Mark Staskal is back at their facility in Madison.

Staff at the facility confirmed he was there Friday afternoon, but couldn't provide any more information.

Earlier this month the 43-year-old was transferred to a group home in Eau Claire.

Police say Staskal killed his sister more than 20 years ago.

He was found guilty of murder, but was also found not legally responsible because of his mental condition.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Posted Tuesday --- November 6, 2007 -- 11:01am

Father warns neighbors of dangerous son

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) -- The father of the son who killed his sister warned dozens of Eau Claire residents that his child remains a danger to society.

Mark Staskal was released to an Eau Claire group home Monday, despite objections from his parents and others. Staskal has been at the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison for the last 23 years, after killing his 16-year-old sister, Marcy.

Staskal's father, Redgie, told those at an information meeting Monday that his son won't be able to handle it and could eventually kill again.

The elder Staskal says the group home doesn't have the resources or personnel to handle his son.

An attorney from the Eau Claire law firm Weld, Riley, Prenn and Ricci says it plans to file for a temporary restraining order to place Staskal elsewhere.

AP

___________________________________________________________________________

Posted Monday --- November 5, 2007

The arrival of an inmate from our area sparks outrage in his new neighborhood.

Mark Staskal has been at Mendota Mental Health Institute for more than 20 years.

He is set to arrive at an Eau Claire group home Monday or Tuesday. Residents are holding meetings and voicing concerns about his release.

Staskal will have to wear an electronic ankle bracelet at the home, his parents have long-argued that he is not mentally fit to be released into the community.

__________________________________________________________________________

Posted Thursday --- November 1, 2007 --

Residents object to killer's new home

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) -- Some Eau Claire residents are objecting to a new neighbor -- a man convicted of killing his sister in 1984.

Mark Staskal has been granted release to a group home in their neighborhood. He's been at the Mendota Mental Health Institute since he was found not guilty by reason of mental disease in the fatal stabbing of his sister in Milton.

Gary Greenfield lives a couple houses from the group home. Greenfield says there's a big difference between rehabilitating people with disabilities and housing people with violent histories. Neighbors say they're concerned about security and the effect on property values.

A Rock County judge Wednesday approved the conditional release of the 44-year-old Staskal.

Earlier this year, Staskal's parents worked to prevent his release from the mental health facility. Melly and Redgie Staskal say their son suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.

AP

_______________________________________________________________________

Posted Wednesday --- October 31, 2007 -- 6:06pm

A Janesville man whose been hospitalized in a mental institution since he killed his sister in 1984 could be released to a group home as soon as Thursday.

A Rock County judge ruled the Eau Claire facility could adequately house 43-year-old Mark Staskal.

He was found guilty murder, but was also found not to be legally responsible because of his mental condition.

Staskal's parents say he is too dangerous to be released into society and have fought to keep him at Mendoata Mental Health Institute.

________________________________________________________________________

Posted Thursday --- October 11, 2007 6:31pm

Man Who Killed Sister Could be Transferred

A Rock County man convicted of killing his sister more than 20 years ago could be transferred to an Eau Claire group home.

Mark Staskal has been living at the Mendota Mental Health Institute since 1984.

Staskal's parents have long felt their son could still be a risk to the public, and they've fought to keep him in the institute.

In January, a Rock County judge reversed years of decisions to keep Staskal in Mendota.

The name of the Eau Claire group home will not be disclosed at this time.