In the early summer of 2019, the life of 19-year-old Troy Doua Lee Wilcox, a recent graduate of Wausau East High School, was tragically cut short. On the afternoon of Friday, June 7, a family member discovered Troy deceased in his Wausau, Wisconsin home from a gunshot wound to the head. This initiated a homicide investigation that would unravel the unfortunate events of that day.
Troy, a male of mixed heritage, was remembered for his big heart, his love for football and fishing, and for being a beloved son, brother, and friend.
The investigation quickly focused on David Anselmo, an 18-year-old from Weston, who was identified as being with Troy and other friends in the hours leading up to the shooting. Witnesses reported that the group had been drinking together. Later that same night, police located and arrested Anselmo in connection with Troy's death. The Wausau Police Department recommended a charge of second-degree reckless homicide against him, and he was held in the Marathon County Jail. The two were known to each other, adding a layer of complexity and sorrow to the unfolding events.
In the months that followed, the legal process began to shed more light on the circumstances of that fatal day. In October 2019, David Anselmo pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree reckless homicide and intoxicated use of a firearm. His defense maintained that the shooting was a tragic accident. According to Anselmo's account, a handgun was being passed around at the gathering. He claimed that he was examining the weapon to see if it was loaded. Although the magazine had been removed, a single round remained in the chamber. Anselmo stated that as he pulled the slide back, his hand slipped, causing him to accidentally pull the trigger, fatally wounding his friend, Troy Wilcox.
The case concluded in February 2022 when David Anselmo reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of homicide by intoxicated use of a weapon. In exchange for his guilty plea, the initial, more severe charge of first-degree reckless homicide was dismissed. The resolution of the case brought a close to the legal chapter of a story that ended one young man's life and irrevocably altered another's.
