The man who murdered UW-Madison student Brittany Zimmermann in 2008 will spend the rest of his life in prison. Brittany’s mother, Jean Zimmerman, spoke after Friday’s sentencing of 56-year-old David Kahl.
“It’s extremely difficult to think about, that it’s taken this long to get to where we are today. If someone would have told me that I would be here 14 and a half, almost 15 years later; I’m not sure if I could have survived.” said Zimmerman.
Kahl, who was linked to the crime through a DNA match, pled guilty in October to first-degree intentional homicide. At his sentencing, Dane County Judge Chris Taylor denied Kahl the opportunity for extended supervision— at the recommendation of both the prosecution and Kahl’s defense attorney.
“What he did was unspeakable, and to not have the person responsible for that behind bars, it was unacceptable to us. So we were willing, and we did whatever we had to do,” Jean Zimmerman said.
Kahl offered apologies to the Zimmerman family for killing Brittany, who was 21-years-old at the time of her death. Jean Zimmerman said her daughter was working towards a career goal of working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.