Inset: James C. Dorr (Brown County Jail). Background: The area where Dorr allegedly killed his addiction sponsor (WLUK).
A 34-year-old man in Wisconsin is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly killing his addiction sponsor, fatally stabbing the 60-year-old man nearly 30 times while after spending several days “fasting” for “spiritual reasons.”
James C. Dorr Jr. was arrested earlier this year and charged with one count of first-degree intentional murder, one count of possession of methamphetamine, and two counts of resisting or obstructing a police officer, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
Dorr is also facing one count of mistreatment of animals resulting in death for allegedly stabbing the victim’s dog to death.
According to a news release from the Green Bay Police Department, the incident took place at about 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at an apartment complex in the 1500 block of Capitol Drive on the city’s west side. The victim, who lived at the residence, has only been identified by authorities as “D.V.” Police said Dorr was taken into custody and charged the following day.
A copy of the criminal complaint obtained by Green Bay Fox affiliate WLUK provided additional details about the circumstances of the alleged attack.
The report states that when police first arrived at the victim’s home, they found him lying on the ground inside of the residence. He appeared to have been stabbed multiple times in the head, neck, and chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A subsequent autopsy determined that he suffered a total of 27 sharp-force injuries, including 15 stab wounds to his chest and one to his face.
A brief search of the home revealed the victim’s dog — a white poodle named “Benji” — was dead in the bedroom beneath the victim’s bed. The search also turned up a wallet allegedly belonging to Dorr.
According to the Green Bay Press Gazette, the victim’s ex-wife told investigators that she went to check on her ex-husband after she was unable to get in touch with him during the day, which is when she found him on the ground in a pool of blood. Dorr, whom she described as a “friend or roommate” of the victim., was also at the home when she arrived. The ex-wife reportedly said that he immediately ran from the apartment.
Police located Dorr walking on the street the following day and placed him under arrest. He was allegedly in possession of methamphetamine at the time.
More from Law&Crime: Woman who killed elderly roommate, poured Diet Mountain Dew ‘all over her body and hair’ trying to ‘interfere’ with police getting her DNA learns her fate
“I asked if he stabbed him. He said, ‘yeah I did, and his dog too.’ I asked him to explain how that happened. He said he was having thoughts and seeing his daughter and daughter’s mom get raped and murdered. He said it was like the end of the world,” the complaint states. “He said prior to this, [he and the victim] were talking and getting along. He said they got along just fine. He said they didn’t have a fight. He just thought it was the end of the world and said he didn’t know. Dorr explained he was having thoughts in his head and that he saw his daughter and daughter’s mom get murdered. He said he had been fasting without food or water. He said he was fasting for about two days for spiritual reasons.”
Before the interview ended, Dorr allegedly told police that he was unsure what month or day it was and admitted to stabbing the victim’s dog, saying that was “stupid” of him.
Dorr on Monday pleaded not guilty to all of the aforementioned charges. He remains in detention at the Dodge Correctional Institution, records show.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
