Kyle Brandon Ryba, a 24-year-old Caucasian male, had his life taken on Saturday, April 3, 2010, in the village of Boyd, Wisconsin. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Kyle had served in Germany and completed a 13-month tour in Iraq, specializing in vehicle mechanics. Upon his return, he was an active member of the Army National Guard in Eau Claire. Those who knew him remembered his sense of humor and his enjoyment of hunting, four-wheeling, and spending time with his family.
The tragic events of that early April morning stemmed from a love triangle. Kyle was at the home of his girlfriend, 18-year-old Stephanie N. Ball, when her estranged husband, 21-year-old William A. Ball of Minot, North Dakota, arrived. Stephanie and William had been separated for at least two weeks, and she was staying at her father's residence where the shooting occurred. An altercation escalated, leading to William Ball opening fire. Kyle was shot 11 times and died at the scene. Stephanie was also wounded, sustaining a gunshot to her right leg.
William Ball fled the scene after the shooting, apparently heading back toward North Dakota. He didn't get far, however, as he surrendered and was arrested about three hours later in Cottage Grove, Minnesota. He was charged with one count of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of first-degree reckless injury. Ball did not fight extradition and was returned to Chippewa County to face the charges. In April 2011, a jury convicted William Ball of first-degree intentional homicide for the killing of Kyle Ryba.
Just 10 days after his conviction and while awaiting sentencing, William Andru Ball was found dead in his cell at the Chippewa County Jail on April 17, 2011. An autopsy later concluded that Ball had died by suicide, suffocating himself with a plastic trash bag that had been used for trash collection in the jail. He was facing a life sentence in prison for the murder.
