In the pre-dawn hours of Christmas Eve 2012, Jennifer Sebena, a 30-year-old female police officer with the Wauwatosa Police Department, was on patrol. At approximately 4:40 a.m., dispatchers attempted to contact her for a call but received no response. A search was initiated, and a fellow officer soon made a grim discovery in the parking lot of the Wauwatosa Fire Department. Officer Sebena was found deceased, having been shot multiple times. Her death marked the first time an officer was killed in the line of duty in the department's 96-year history.
The investigation into her death quickly focused on a suspect close to home: her husband, Benjamin Sebena, also 30. He was a decorated U.S. Marine veteran who had served two tours in Iraq and had sustained significant injuries in a mortar attack. Investigators learned that Jennifer had confided in a fellow officer that her husband had been abusive and had previously held a gun to her head. Evidence gathered from the couple's home and Benjamin's own statements revealed a disturbing lead-up to the tragedy. He admitted to stalking his wife for several days before the murder.
On the morning of December 24, Benjamin Sebena lay in wait for his wife for hours. When Jennifer took a break and exited the fire station, he ambushed her. He first shot her twice in the back of the head with his own handgun. He then took her service weapon and shot her three more times. Benjamin was arrested later that day and charged with first-degree intentional homicide. He confessed to the crime, stating that he shot her multiple times to ensure she did not suffer and that his motive was jealousy.
Benjamin Sebena initially entered a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, citing post-traumatic stress disorder from his military service. However, after medical evaluations did not support this plea, he changed his plea to guilty. In August 2013, he was sentenced to life in prison. The judge mandated that he would be eligible to petition for supervised release after 35 years.
