On a tragic January morning in 2022, the life of Kayla M. Frank, a 28-year-old Caucasian female from Merrill, Wisconsin, was cut short. On January 18th, Merrill Police were called to a residence on East Fifth Street with a report of a shooting. Inside, they found that Kayla had been shot in the back while sitting at the kitchen table. Despite efforts to save her, she passed away at Aspirus Good Samaritan Hospital in Merrill. Kayla was a mother to three young children, two sons and a daughter, and was remembered for her vibrant, caring personality and great sense of humor.
The man responsible for the shooting, 28-year-old Tanner Graap of Merrill, was present at the scene. He claimed to police that the shooting was an accident, stating that the gun discharged as he was trying to put it in his pocket after hitting a door frame. Graap was taken into custody in connection with her death.
Initially, Tanner Graap was charged with first-degree reckless homicide. However, in June 2022, the charges were upgraded to first-degree intentional homicide, which carries a mandatory life sentence. In addition to this, Graap faced charges as a felon in possession of a firearm. In November 2024, a sentencing hearing took place where Graap pled guilty to an amended charge of second-degree reckless homicide with a weapon modifier. As part of a plea agreement, other charges, including maintaining a drug trafficking place, were dismissed but read into the record.
Ultimately, Tanner Graap was sentenced to 15 years in state prison, which will run consecutively with any other sentences he may have. This will be followed by 10 years of extended supervision. The court credited him with 162 days already served and mandated that he have no contact with Kayla Frank's family, except to write a letter of apology through the District Attorney's office. He is also required to maintain sobriety, undergo counseling, and pursue employment or education.
