Richard Sotka
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Evidence of a 2002 domestic abuse attack by Richard Sotka will be allowed at his upcoming trial for allegedly killing two women on Green Bay’s east side, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Sotka is scheduled to stand trial March 5 for the fatal stabbing of Rhonda Cegelski and Paula O’Connor. Their bodies were discovered Jan. 29, 2023, at a duplex on Elkay Lane.
In court Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steuck argued despite the time between the events, in both cases Sotka snapped and caused substantial injuries in a domestic situation, so evidence of it should allowed.
Defense attorney Stephanie Rock contended there were too many differences — including different injuries and different causation — that it wouldn’t be relevant in this case.
Judge Beau Liegeois cited a passage in the criminal complaint where Sotka’s comments to police may be enough in and of itself to meet the prongs required in the admissibility test.
That passage: “He shared with us that twenty one years ago a female and him were in a relationship and he snapped in a similar way. He said he hurt her bad and that he went to prison for that. Later in the interview he said he had broken her leg, fractured her skull and knocked out several teeth during that incident.”
“I think the probative value is so high it does overcome any potential prejudice in this case,” the Judge Liegeois said. “I believe from the record and Mr. Sotka’s own statement during the interview about this prior case that it is so highly probative that it is admissible.”
According to a criminal complaint, Sotka admitted to the murders. He went to the residence and told police he was “humiliated” at the scene there, so he killed the women.
He also faces criminal damage to property charges for allegedly cutting off his electronic monitoring bracelet while fleeing, as well as bail jumping counts.
Sotka faces additional charges for allegedly attacking a corrections officer in the Brown County Jail.
Sotka also appeared in court in that case Tuesday. An attorney has been appointed for that case, but they haven’t met yet. He returns to court Thursday for scheduling of a preliminary hearing in that case.
Sotka was arrested in Mississippi County, Arkansas, the same day the bodies were discovered and waived extradition to Wisconsin on Feb. 6. Brown County Sheriff’s deputies traveled to Arkansas to bring him back to Wisconsin.
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