Chrystul Kizer, a young woman from Milwaukee, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison and five years of extended supervision for the killing of a man named Randall Volar.
Kizer, now 24, admitted to the shooting in 2018 when she was 17 years old. She had accused Volar of trafficking and raping her.

The crime and its aftermath

In June 2018, Kizer went to Volar’s house in Kenosha with a gun, BBC reported.She shot him twice in the head, then set his house on fire and took Volar’s BMW. After the killing, she posted a selfie from Volar’s house on social media with the caption “My Mug Shot.” Prosecutors said that Kizer planned the actions to steal the car, while Kizer’s defence argued that she acted in self-defence due to years of abuse.

Legal and public reaction

Kizer’s case drew significant media attention and sparked debate over how the law treats victims of sex trafficking. She had met Volar when she was 16 and claimed he sexually assaulted her, gave her money and gifts, and trafficked her to other men.
Evidence later revealed that Volar had abused multiple underage girls. Despite this, he was released by police before his death.
In court, Kizer’s lawyers argued that she should be protected under a 2008 Wisconsin law that shields trafficking victims from certain charges if their crimes were directly related to their trafficking. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that this protection could extend to homicide cases, allowing Kizer to present evidence of her abuse.

Outcome and future

Kizer accepted a plea deal this year to avoid a life sentence. She will serve 11 years in prison followed by five years of extended supervision. Her case continues to be a point of discussion regarding the legal treatment of trafficking victims and the extent of legal protections available to them.
Kizer, who has already served over a year and a half, is scheduled for a restitution hearing on November 8.

MILWAUKEE – Although the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) is being held in Chicago, Milwaukee will take center stage this week. That is where the Harris-Walz campaign will be holding a rally on Tuesday night, Aug. 20. 

One month after former President Donald Trump was inside Fiserv Forum for the Republican National Convention (RNC), the arena will once again welcome a presidential candidate. On Tuesday, people will be filing into Fiserv Forum to see Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz.

On Monday afternoon, Fiserv Forum crews prepped for the crowds expected to attend the rally. A group of Democrats gathered outside the arena doing their own preparations. 

The vice president’s Tuesday night visit will land on the second day of the DNC in Chicago, putting Wisconsin in the spotlight once again. 

“Because this is where the action is,” said UW-Milwaukee Professor Emeritus Mordecai Lee.

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Both Harris and Walz are expected to speak at the rally. The campaign has yet to release official times for their speeches. 

Attendees will be able to watch former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama’s speeches live from Chicago together in the arena following the rally program. 

One month ago

Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, accepted the Republican nomination inside Fiserv Forum in July. 

During that event, security was tight. When asked about the vice president’s visit to Milwaukee, a Secret Service spokesperson said the following: 

“The U.S. Secret Service works closely with our local law enforcement partners to maintain a robust security posture, while minimizing disruptions to the public.”

“Residents and visitors in or around downtown Milwaukee should expect intermittent road closures and parking restrictions as part of the visit.”

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“The logic of campaigning is you try to maximize contact with those voters who can determine the election,” Lee said. “This is really, in a sense, great because Wisconsinites get more opportunities to see and hear the four candidates.”

Register for Harris-Walz event

The doors at Fiserv Forum open at 4 p.m. Tuesday. People can register for the event through the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. 

MILWAUKEE – Voting begins today (Aug. 19) in the Transportation Security Administration’s 2024 Cutest Canine contest.

Birdie, a three-year-old Yellow Lab/Vizsla mix who works at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, is one of four finalists in this year’s contest.

You can help the TSA pick which of its working canines is most deserving of the title. All voting is being conducted via TSA’s social media platforms, including Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook.

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How to vote

You can vote every day via Twitter Poll, Facebook Stories and Instagram Stories.

Birdie will be competing in round one of voting, which is open now until Tuesday, Aug. 20, at 11 a.m. central time.

If she advances, the public can vote for her again in the final round of online voting starting Wednesday, Aug. 21.

TSA will announce the contest winner on Monday, Aug. 26.

In addition to MKE’s Birdie, the other finalists are Barni, a German Shorthaired Pointer from San Francisco International Airport (SFO); Carlo, a Vizsla from Kansas City International Airport (MCI); and Badger, a Belgian Malinois from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).

More about Birdie

Birdie is an energetic pup who has been working with her handler Zach at Milwaukee Mitchell for nearly a year. She loves her squeaker ball, wiggling her whole backside, and chewing Greenies.

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Airport canines

TSA utilizes canines like Birdie in its security operations nationwide. They are trained to detect the scent of explosives or explosive materials.

These highly-skilled dogs are paired with handlers and utilize their keen sense of smell when working in a busy transportation environment.

Canines are a visible layer of security, and they supplement TSA’s efforts to keep travelers safe and secure.

In addition to working in an aviation environment, they are also trained to work in mass transit, commuter rail and maritime venues. TSA currently has more than 1,000 explosives detection canine teams deployed nationwide.