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Sheriff`s officials: Sen. Rick Gudex died of self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest
Sheriff`s officials: Sen. Rick Gudex died of self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest
FOND DU LAC COUNTY -- The Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday morning, October 12th Sen. Rick Gudex of Fond du Lac has died. His death was a result of a gunshot wound to the chest, believed to have been self-inflicted, officials said.
Rick Gudex
Gudex's body was discovered around 1:30 a.m. in the Town of Eden in Fond du Lac County.
The 48-year-old Gudex was not seeking re-election to the Senate seat he's held since 2013.
According to his official biography, Gudex was married with two children.
Further follow up investigation as well as toxicology results are pending.
Gudex once served as mayor of Mayville in Dodge County -- home to a little more than 5,000 people.
Rick Gudex
"He wanted to have an impact on our community and make it a better place to live and he succeeded doing that," Mike Kurutz, Mayville parks director said.
Mike Kurutz
Kurutz worked with Gudex when he was an alderman, and then mayor.
"Everybody had followed his rise to his current role as a state senator and remembers his time as mayor here," Kurutz said.
A book with newspapers from 1998 includes a photo of Mayor Gudex with then state Rep. Scott Fitzgerald. They would later serve together in the Wisconsin Senate.
Rick Gudex and Scott Fitzgerald
"The telephone rang and it was Scott Fitzgerald and he told me the news," Senator Alberta Darling said.
Alberta Darling
Darling recalled helping Gudex with his campaign back in 2012. She said those are among her fondest memories of him.
"Because there we are in our shorts during the summer when it was really hot. You get to know someone really well when you`re going door-to-door," Darling said.
Gudex won his seat that fall by fewer than 600 votes.
He announced last year he wouldn't seek another term in office.
Rick Gudex
Darling said no one was prepared for this loss.
"There were tons of calls going back and forth among us because we were so devastated by the news. We all just really liked Rick," Darling said.
They're feeling that same sense of shock in Mayville.
"Was always a very caring person who cared very much about our city and our community and was a nice guy -- just easy to get along with," Kurutz said.
Prior to his time in the Senate, Gudex worked at Wabash National Corporation's Fond du Lac facility, where Brenner tank trailers are manufactured. He planned on returning to the private sector after leaving Madison.
Rick Gudex
Mark Weber, senior VP and group president, diversified products at Wabash National Corporation issued this statement on Gudex's passing:
State lawmakers issued the following statements on Gudex's passing:
Gov. Scott Walker
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R - Juneau)
Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling (D - La Crosse)
Senator Van Wanggaard (R - Racine)
Rep. Peter Barca (D - Kenosha)
Sen. Leah Vukmir (R - Brookfield)
Sen. Duey Stroebel (R - Cedarburg)
Sen. Lena Taylor (D - Milwaukee)
Brad Courtney, Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin
Martha Laning, Chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin