An 18-year-old who shot and killed his ex-girlfriend’s mother has been sentenced to a 15 year prison term. Miguel Oertel was convicted for first degree reckless homicide by a Wood County jury in April.
Oertel was convicted of killing 47-year-old Theresa Coates at her rural Wisconsin Rapids home Aug. 17, 2015, shortly after her daughter told him that she was ending their relationship. Oertel told the jury the shooting was an accident, but prosecutors said Oertel had no regard for human life when he fatally shot Coates. Oertel then turned the gun on himself. He shot himself in the face and spent several weeks in the hospital recovering.
Before he was sentenced Monday Coates apologized for what happened, and said he wished he could fix the tragedy.
WSAU
