The jury in the triple murder trial in La Crosse County continues to deliberate on Tuesday after failing to agree on a verdict

After the jury in the murder trial of Nya Thao met for five hours on Monday without being able to agree on a verdict, they will return to the courtroom on Tuesday morning for further deliberations.

Thao is on trial for the second time. He is accused of firing the shots that killed three men in a West Salem quarry. The murders of Nemo Yang, Peng Lor and Trevor Maloney occurred in July 2021.

Thao's first trial last year ended in a jury deadlock. A second suspect, Kham Rattanasack, has already been convicted of the murders and is in prison.

Justice Department prosecutor Adrienne Blais argued Monday that Rattanasack wanted the victims killed and hired his friend Thao to do the “dirty work” of the actual murders.

Defense attorney Aaron Nelson said Thao had no motive for the shooting and claimed the evidence pointed to Rattanasack, who police said one of the victims owed $600.

After the closing arguments of the week-long trial, the jury discussed the case for five hours.

Shortly before 6 p.m. Monday, Judge Elliott Levine said jurors could take an overnight break and return late Tuesday morning to continue their work.

Thao's first trial in June 2023 ended when the jury sat for ten hours but could not agree on a verdict.