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 Steven Zelich, 52, is charged with two felony counts of hiding a
corpse in Walworth County, 50 miles southwest of Milwaukee, and
investigations are continuing in another Wisconsin county and in
Minnesota into the deaths of the women.
Zelich told investigators he accidentally killed Jenny Gamez, 21, of
Cottage Grove, Oregon, and Laura Simonson, 37, of Farmington,
Minnesota, during sexual encounters at hotels, according to court
documents.
 The former police officer told authorities he met Gamez at a hotel
in Kenosha County in late 2012 or early 2013 and stuffed her body in
a suitcase and hid it in his apartment until this year, when he
moved it to a vehicle, authorities said.
Zelich met Simonson online and accidentally killed her at a hotel in
Rochester, Minnesota, in November, authorities said. He told
investigators he also put Simonson's body in a suitcase and hid her
in his vehicle.
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Authorities believe Zelich dumped the suitcases shortly before they
were found on June 5 by a crew cutting grass.
Zelich could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison if convicted
of hiding a corpse.
(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Peter Cooney)
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