Dad to be sentenced in "estranged" wife's murder; mother killed in front of 2 young children (Appleton, Wisconsin)

Dad SCOTT SCHMIDT is one of those real special @$$holes. He not only murders his "estranged" wife, mowing her down in cold blood in her own driveway. Oh no, he also shoots the wife's mother (the wife's mother survived, despite a shot to the chest). For extra @$$hole points, Dad shoots the two women in front of the couple's now 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter, who were left thoroughly traumatized, with at least one suffering from chronic nightmares. Three other children were left motherless by Daddy's actions. And Daddy's claiming amnesia? He can't "recall" firing the gun? Puleeze. Spare us the crap, dude.

http://www.wfrv.com/home/related/93040124.html

Schmidt to be sentenced in estranged wife's murder
Friends, family ask judge to deny parole eligibility for former firefighter
WFRV News
Angenette Levy

Story Created: May 6, 2010 at 9:53 PM CDT

(Story Updated: May 7, 2010 at 10:05 AM CDT )

APPLETON (WFRV) – The sentencing phase has begun in Outagamie County Court this morning for former Appleton firefighter Scott Schmidt.

Schmidt,39, was convicted in March of murdering Kelly Wing-Schmidt in the driveway of the home the couple once shared in Grand Chute.

Schmidt was also convicted of first-degree recklessly endangering safety for shooting his mother-in-law, Barbara Wing, in the chest.

The first-degree homicide conviction carries a mandatory life sentence, but the judge can set a parole eligibility date for Schmidt, once he’s served 20 years in prison. Channel 5’s legal analyst believes Schmidt will receive the maximum sentence.

“It's going to be really difficult in my mind for him to get any kind of parole whatsoever,” defense attorney Jeff Oswald said. “This is the type of case where he should probably be lucky this isn't a death penalty state because it probably be sought,” Oswald added.

Oswald said the judge will evaluate several factors when sentencing Schmidt, including his character, Schmidt’s rehabilitative needs and deterrence.

"You have a premeditated act, you have somebody who took his kids mother away from them for the rest of their life."

The court has received 12 letters from Kelly Wing-Schmidt’s family members and friends. All have asked Judge Des Jardins to deny any possibility of parole.

The court must also weigh 25 letters written by family and friends who hope to convince the judge that Schmidt should be offered a parole eligibility date.

Wing-Schmidt’s friend, Joann Hull wrote: "Scott treated Kelly as if she were his property… Scott was a coward who sentenced Kelly's family and friends to a lifetime of violent, horrible memories."

A letter written by Wing-Schmidt’s cousin, Christine Prehn, reads: "I will NEVER forget seeing Kelly hooked up to all those machines -- breathing/living for her… It broke my heart to see her children by her side... how do you explain they will never see their mother again?"

Wing-Schmidt had five children ranging in age from 18 to two. The letters detail their heartbreak. Two letters were written by a therapist on behalf of the five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter Wing-Schmidt and Scott Schmidt shared. Kay Heimerl asked that parole eligibility be denied. Both children were present at the time of the murder. Heimerl said one child openly states, “Daddy killed Mommy.” Heimerl reported the five-year-old has nightmares and recalls seeing his “mother’s blood on the driveway.” He also has nightmares about the Outagamie Co. Jail falling down and his father escaping to hurt him and the rest of the family.

Schmidt had claimed during his trial that the murder was not premeditated and he went to the home that morning to confront Wing-Schmidt and a man she had started dating. Schmidt claimed he did not intend to kill his wife and could not recall firing the gun. Wing-Schmidt had planned to divorce Schmidt despite his attempts at reconciliation.

Channel 5 News will be in Outagamie Co. Court for the sentencing Friday morning.