ROCKFORD, IL – A Wisconsin woman received a 15-year prison sentence Tuesday after her roommate’s dismembered remains were discovered along the Rock River in Illinois, tied to her gain as the beneficiary of his financial assets.
Tracey Clark, 57, was sentenced for second-degree reckless homicide in connection with the death of her roommate, Dennis Schattie, 79. Schattie’s mutilated body was found wrapped in a tarp last year, along with incriminating financial documents. Brandon Gaston, 48, her boyfriend, faces trial in March for allegedly carrying out the act.
During court proceedings, Eau Claire County Assistant District Attorney Kelly Ronquist detailed the brutal incident, describing how Gaston allegedly decapitated and removed Schattie’s fingers with a knife found on the premises.
Ronquist portrayed Schattie as a compassionate individual who cared deeply for Clark, making the betrayal even more tragic.
Clark expressed remorse in court, emphasizing Schattie’s virtues and acknowledging his undeserved fate. “Denny was a good man and didn’t deserve this. He was kind and understanding,” she said.
Police discovered the remains on April 12, 2022, near a dam in the Rock River. The body showed signs of having been cut with a saw and partially burned. Schattie’s dentures, uniquely marked with his name, were found at the scene, confirming his identity.
Investigations linked the murder to the home Clark and Gaston shared with Schattie in Altoona, Wisconsin, about 250 miles away from where the remains were found. Clark confessed to her involvement, revealing that Gaston allegedly assaulted and killed Schattie, then coerced her into assisting with the body’s transportation to the garage for dismemberment.
Clark admitted to disposing of Schattie’s head in the river, seeking to conceal the evidence of their crimes. This case continues to unravel as authorities prepare for Gaston’s upcoming trial, which is expected to shed further light on the grisly details.