Chris Mueller

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

WAUSAU - A 62-year-old town of Berlin man arrested in connection with his wife’s death is now being held on a $1 million cash bond, amid new revelations that he had been trying to keep in touch with a mistress.

Mark Sturm was arrested Feb. 28 after deputies found his wife, 62-year-old Patricia Sturm, dead with a single gunshot wound to her head, police said. Mark Sturm called for an ambulance and told a dispatcher his wife was suffering from seizures and died, but did not mention the gunshot wound.

The woman was found in the couple’s bed at their home at 8400 North Lane in the town of Berlin, about 14 miles northwest of Wausau, according to a criminal complaint.

Mark Sturm appeared Wednesday in Marathon County Circuit Court. He is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, obstructing an officer and bail jumping. His bond was set at $1 million cash and his preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 16.

Mark Sturm did not acknowledge the wound to his wife’s head until he was asked about it by an official at the scene, the complaint said. He warned the official to be careful with the weapon, a .22-caliber pistol, because it was still loaded.

A detective at the scene saw the gun “was in an awkward position that is not consistent with Patricia shooting herself,” and it was apparent she did not kill herself, the complaint said.

Mark Sturm told a detective he got a text message from his wife at about 1:15 p.m. after he went outside to split wood, the complaint said. The text message, according to Mark Sturm, “said she was feeling terrible again, having another attack and couldn’t take it anymore.”

He also told a detective after he found his wife dead, he saw blood and the gun when he looked at the body and assumed she shot herself.

Mark Sturm admitted to a detective that he had been having an affair with another woman, but claimed it happened years ago and “everything was good again,” the complaint said.

Patricia Sturm was described by relatives as a woman who spoke openly against suicide and took her marriage vows seriously, the complaint said.

The couple's son told investigators he suspected his father was poisoning his mother and causing her seizures, but he couldn't prove it, according to court documents.

The investigation also led police to a woman in Boulder Junction who admitted to having an affair with Mark Sturm, the complaint said. While Mark Sturm initially told the woman he was divorced when the affair began in 2013, their relationship continued after she learned he was married in 2014.

Mark Sturm on one occasion told the woman he wished his wife “would get hit by a semi going down the road,” the complaint said.

The woman told Mark Sturm just a few weeks before his wife’s death that their relationship could not continue until he separated from his wife, the complaint said. He also sent a text message to the woman the day before his wife's death to tell her "he was going for a long walk around his farm and he wished she was there so he could hold her hand," the complaint said.

A detective reviewed the woman’s cellphone and, the complaint said, found the following text messages between her and Sturm:

“That’s what I wanted to do. There is no love between me and patty and my kids know this now.”

“All I been doin is workin and thinkin about you.”

“That I could see Ya more.”

“It’s up to me and we’re not Gona be done! I love you to much.”

“Every time I get a text I was hoping it was u. Did u get together with patty and the kids and talk. Just remember life can be taken away in a heart beat so u have to enjoy life and be happy.”

“OK. I won’t talk to u until u figure stuff out bye.”

“I told her about a divorce.”

“Don’t ansered.”

“...it’s not Gona work out tomorrow night. I told patty that I was coming up tomorrow night and all h--- broke loose my kids called there upset to. Sorry."

Chris Mueller: 715-345-2251 or christopher.mueller@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter@AtChrisMueller.