Outagamie County Courthouse. Photo via Google Maps
Outagamie County Courthouse. Photo via Google Maps

APPLETON — One of the two people charged in the March death of a Kaukauna man pleaded not guilty today after earlier being found competent to stand trial.

Tanya Stammer, 26, pleaded not guilty Friday in the March 30 death of Brian Porsche at a home on W. Division Street in Kaukauna, according to Fox 11 News.

Dontae Payne, 26, also is charged in the killing and pleaded not guilty during a court hearing in April.

Stammer had been ruled not competent May 17 to stand trial and was ordered committed for treatement.

During a hearing July 30, however, a judge found Stammer competent to stand trial, putting in motion further court proceedings.

During a preliminary hearing Aug. 9, the judge found probable cause to move the case forward for today’s arraignment.

Stammer and Payne each face one count of first-degree intentional homicide, party to a crime and one count of armed robbery, party to a crime.

Both are being held on $1 million cash bond.

According to a criminal complaint, a third person drove the pair to a gas station near Porsche’s home the night of the murder where a security camera shows a woman identified as Stammer get out of the vehicle and is let into the home. Payne follows about a minute later.

Payne and Stammer are then seen leaving the home and walking back to the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle later told investigators that Payne had a gun in his hand when he walked back to the vehicle, while Stammer had $500 in cash, along with some change and a set of keys, according to the complaint.

Payne provided several conflicting stories to investigators about what led up to the shooting, according to the complaint.

In the meantime, a judge also granted a request for a search warrant related to electronic records in the case, according to online court records.

A jury trial is set for Payne to begin Nov. 9, 2021.

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By Dan Plutchak

Dan Plutchak, born and raised in Kaukauna, is cofounder of Kaukauna Community News.