$1 million bond set for Madison man in wife's death, house explosion

MADISON — Bond is set at $1 million for a Wisconsin man who authorities say killed his wife and tried to cover it up by blowing up their house.

Steven Pirus appeared in Dane County Circuit Court on Tuesday, four days after his wife's body was found in the rubble of their Madison home. Prosecutors say they expect to charge him this week with first-degree intentional homicide.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Pirus told police that sometime between July 30th-August 12th he shot Lee Anne in the head with a firearm in their home on Stratton Way. Pirus told police that Lee Anne asked him to kill her.

In court documents, Pirus told police that on Wednesday he opened the natural gas line of the dryer in the basement of the house. He told police he opened the natural gas line to blow up the house because he wanted to conceal that Lee Anne had been shot in the head.

Public Defender David Klauser unsuccessfully sought a lower bail for Pirus. He declined to comment on the case, saying he hadn't been appointed to represent Pirus beyond Tuesday's hearing.