DANE COUNTY, Wis. — The man suspected of killing a woman and her dog with his car on April 28 was found dead in his jail cell, according to the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The examiner's office confirmed 49-year-old Jeffrey Endres died at the Dane County Jail on Tuesday, May 6.
Deputies found Endres unresponsive in his housing unit at the Public Safety Building jail at around 5:57 a.m., less than 24 hours after his initial court appearance.
After finding Endres, deputies and in-house medical staff started “lifesaving efforts.” The Madison Fire Department reported to the scene and when those paramedics arrived, they took over resuscitation attempts on Endres. However, those efforts failed, and he died.
“Our deepest condolences are extended to the person’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett in a release. “We take any in-custody death extremely seriously, and this will be thoroughly investigated to ensure full transparency.”
A forensic autopsy was completed at the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office on May 8 and the cause and manner of death are pending at this time. The medical examiner said additional testing is underway and the death remains under investigation by their office and by the city of Madison Police Department.
Dr. Kami Hansen, a chiropractor and board member of the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce, died April 28 when a car jumped a curb, crashed through a fence and struck her. Kami Hansen's son and her husband, Paul Hansen, were walking with her at the time. Her son was transported to a nearby hospital and underwent surgery, but Paul Hansen did not require immediate medical attention.
Paul Hansen told law enforcement that during the walk, he heard a car accelerating. When he looked in the car’s direction, he said it was driving straight toward the family.
According to the criminal complaint, one of the couple’s other children observed the incident from the family’s backyard and ran to the scene, saying, “He tried to hit you.” The couple has three sons, according to Kami Hansen's obituary.
“I’m confident he was intentionally trying to kill us or [Juvenile Victim 1] at least,” Paul Hansen told law enforcement, according to the complaint.
Paul Hansen said his children and Endres’ children competed on the same gymnastics team and had become “best friends.” The families lived on the same street. However, in March 2025, one of Hansen's children was accused of abusing one of Endres’ minor children. The two families ceased contact, Paul Hansen said.
A court hearing took place on March 28, 2025. Endres said he did not want the Hansens' child released back into the neighborhood or near the residences. However, they were released from custody and allowed to stay in his family’s home during court proceedings.
On April 23, five days before the car crash, Endres requested police reports related to the allegations in which his child was a victim. Redacted police reports were sent back to Endres on April 28 at 3:43 p.m. Less than three hours later, the crash occurred.
According to the criminal complaint, Paul Hansen said he believes Endres “intentionally hit his family with his vehicle in response to the allegations that his son, had engaged in criminal activity with the defendant’s minor child.”
Endres, who police said was the driver of the car, was facing one count of first degree intentional homicide, two counts of attempted first degree intentional homicide and one count of mistreatment of animals.
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