Wisconsin father Jeffrey Manke reportedly sparked concerns with his gun collection before he was found dead with his two daughters.
As Us previously reported, Manke, 57, and his daughters, Jaelyn Manke and Lenora Manke, were found dead at his home in Winneconne, Wisconsin, on Friday, July 31. Their bodies were found just hours after Jeffrey finalized his divorce from the girls’ mother, Lindsay Lewandowski.
Divorce proceedings records revealed that a restraining order was issued against Jeffrey earlier this year, according to WGBA. One of the documents noted that Jeffrey had access to firearms and listed 14 items in his firearm collection, which included six handguns, three shotguns and four rifles.
Jeffrey also reportedly owned an AK-47, a Glock 21 and several Ruger handguns and rifles prior to his death.
Amid the divorce proceedings, a hearing was scheduled to discuss his firearm collection and his health four days before the family members were found dead.
Additionally, court records indicated that Jeffrey was not actively working and filed for disability due to an undisclosed health issue.
After Jaelyn, 16, and Lenora, 11, and Jeffrey were found dead, Lewandowski took to Facebook on Monday, August 3, to claim that her daughters “felt unsafe” with their father.
“I’m so sad. Everyone they talked to knew they were not safe in his care. And I fought so hard to try to keep them safe. The family counselor dismissed them and refused to continue working with them. The gal knew they didn’t want to be there. Cps reports were made. Cops were called,” she wrote. “I was legally forced to send them when they felt unsafe. Nobody wanted to listen. If someone listened to their cries for help for the last 2 years , they would still be here . The system failed my babies.”
Jeffrey and Lewandowski were granted shared legal custody of their daughters during their divorce proceedings. They had already been following the arrangement since 2024 when Lewandowski filed for divorce.
Despite confirming the deaths, the Winneconne Police Department has not yet publicly shared their causes of deaths or any theories about what may have happened.
Authorities have asked that anyone with information regarding Jeffrey and his daughters’ deaths contact the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office at 920-236-7300. The investigation into the tragedy remains ongoing.
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