In the early morning hours of July 23, 2021, the bodies of three young men were discovered by quarry workers arriving for their shift in a secluded area near Holmen, Wisconsin. One of the victims was identified as 24-year-old Peng Lor. Alongside him were Nemo Yang, 24, and Trevor J. Maloney, 23. The discovery at the entrance of the Milestone Quarry on County Road M launched a triple homicide investigation that would uncover a story of betrayal and violence rooted in a dispute over a small sum
of money.
Investigators quickly determined that the killings were not a random act but a targeted event. The motive, as it would later be revealed in court proceedings, was a belief held by one of the perpetrators that he had been robbed of $600 by at least one of the victims. This accusation led to a tragic and fatal confrontation. A witness to the horrific events told police that the three men were forced to their knees before being shot multiple times in an execution-style manner.
The investigation led to the identification and arrest of two suspects: Nya Thao and Khamthaneth Rattanasack. Both men were charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide. According to the testimony of a woman who was with the victims, Rattanasack accused the men of stealing from him and then handed the gun to Thao, who proceeded to carry out the shootings.
The legal process brought a measure of closure to the families of the victims. Khamthaneth Rattanasack pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime and was sentenced to life in prison. Nya Thao, the man authorities said pulled the trigger, was found guilty by a La Crosse County jury on three counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. His conviction, secured after an initial trial ended in a hung jury, marked the conclusion of the criminal proceedings against the individuals responsible for the deaths of Peng Lor and his friends.
