In the summer of 2009, on July 22nd, the life of 37-year-old Teresa Wilkinson, a female registered nurse, was tragically cut short in her home in Warrens, Wisconsin. Her estranged husband, Brent Wilkinson, 38, from Tomah, arrived at her residence armed with a 12-gauge shotgun. The couple, who had been married for eight years, had recently filed for divorce on July 9, 2009.
The situation escalated quickly as Teresa, upon seeing the shotgun, attempted to prevent Brent from entering her
home. However, he forced the door open. Inside the house at the time was Teresa's 14-year-old daughter, who was upstairs. The daughter later recounted to police that she heard her mother and Brent arguing before her mother yelled for her to remain upstairs.
The argument culminated in Brent fatally shooting Teresa. She sustained a single gunshot wound to her left side, which caused severe damage to her left lung and aorta. Brent later admitted to authorities that his intention in going to the house was to harm her, stating he went there "to put a hole in her" after hearing she was seeing another man.
Following the murder, Brent Wilkinson was arrested. He pleaded guilty in Monroe County Circuit Court to first-degree intentional homicide with the use of a dangerous weapon as a domestic abuse offense. A judge subsequently sentenced him to life in prison, with the stipulation that he would not be eligible for release for 35 years.
