A retired Wisconsin sheriff 's deputy accused of murdering his wife and her sister appeared in court and plead not guilty to the crime , blaming it on the side effects from ALS . Andrew Steele , 40 , of Fitchburg , claims that the terminal disease - which he was diagnosed with in June - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS ) , affected his brain making him unable to obey the law . Steele argued that he was not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to first-degree intentional homicide charges because he could not resist impulses , according to TwinCities.com . ALS : Andrew Steele , pictured in court in 2014 , was wheeled into the courtroom by bailiffs at the start of a status conference before Circuit Judge Nicholas McNamara . Case : Steele argued that he was not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to first-degree intentional homicide charges because he could not resist impulses . Tragic sisters : This undated photo provided by Rachelle Putnam shows Ashlee Steele , left , and her sister , Kacee Tollefsbol , both were found dead of gunshot wounds at Steele 's home in Fitchburg , Wisconsin . The former cop spoke in court , briefly , for the first time since he was charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the murders of his wife , Ashlee Steele , 39 , and her sister , Kacee Tollefsbol , 38 , of Lake Elmo , at the Steele home in Fitchburg on August 22 , 2014 . Tollefsbol called 911 and told a dispatcher that her brother-in-law had shot her before she died . Ashlee Steele , 39 , was found shot in the head in the master bedroom and cops found Andrew Steele sitting in a laundry room with a pistol . The former deputy had started the dryer and vented it back into the room and he had set up a grill loaded with hot charcoal in the room . The killings came just days after the victims and the suspect 's friends took part in the ALS ice bucket challenge , raising $ 23,000 towards the ailing deputy 's medical expenses . However , the motive for the slayings remains a mystery . The sisters have left six children behind . Death : Sisters Ashlee Steele , left , and Kacee M. Tollefsbol , right , were shot dead leaving six children behind between them . In happier times : Ashlee Steele , left , had been working tirelessly to raise money to pay for her husband 's treatment . Accused : Andrew Steele is wheeled out of his home in a stretcher Friday after allegedly murdering his wife and her sister . As he addressed the court , Steele 's speech sounded slurred as he waived his right to review the statements of potential jurors claiming to be unable to serve during his three-week trial . Around 15 jurors will be picked from 120 potential jurors for the trial which is scheduled to begin with jury selection on April 13 . It will be a two-phase trial , the first to establish guilt , the second to decide whether he was legally responsible for his actions . The dramatic case saw Steele wheeled into the courtroom by bailiffs at the start of a status conference before Circuit Judge Nicholas McNamara . Challenge : His wife , Ashlee Steele spearheaded the effort to raise money for her husband dubbed 'Tough as Steele ' , posting videos of the ice bucket challenges on her Facebook account . Family : The couple , pictured , had two children , and had been together for 26 years . His lawyer , Jessa Nicholson , said that Steele can still walk and that his speech has been affected by his ALS , but that otherwise he was doing well . ALS does not affect the brains of most people who are diagnosed with the disease , but Nicholson said about 20 percent experience dementia . Nicholson wrote that Steele has suffered damage to his hippocampus , the emotional center of the brain , causing poor impulse control and loss of memory . His frontal lobe was also damaged , which can cause loss of inhibition , personality changes and loss of the ability to conform his conduct to the law . Steele will be back in court for what is expected to be an all-day motion hearing on March 27 .
Andrew Steele , 40 , claims that the terminal disease affected his brain . Steele is charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the murders of his wife , Ashlee Steele , 39 , and her sister , Kacee Tollefsbol , 38 , in 2014 . He has plead not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect . His lawyer said that he suffered damage to his hippocampus the emotional center of the brain , causing poor impulse control and loss of memory .