A small memorial for Erica Ostenson has been erected outside her home at 412 1/2 S. Academy St. in Janesville. Ostenson was shot to death there Wednesday by a former boyfriend.
JANESVILLE — A homemade wooden cross and extinguished candles this morning fronted the yellow police tape that declares Erica Ostenson's home on Academy Street a crime scene.
"We will miss you, friend," someone wrote on the cross.
Ostenson's family and friends held a memorial service Wednesday night for the woman who was shot to death that morning on her front stoop earlier that day, allegedly by a jealous ex-boyfriend. Her 5-year-old son, Damon, was home from Wilson Elementary School that day because staff was holding an orientation for new kindergarteners.
Sheryl Miller, coordinator of public information for the school district, said letters were sent home with school children Wednesday, and counselors and social workers were on duty this morning.
That the killing occurred in front of the small child especially horrified residents.
Damon attended Wednesday's memorial, and Brandi Wepking, a friend, said Damon is doing OK and understands some of what happened.
"He knows that Mommy is in heaven and not coming back," Wepking said.
Ostenson's mother is not doing so well, Wepking said.
Ostenson was "an awesome mother," said another friend, Holly Telford. "She was awesome …. a big sweetheart."
Telford helped Ostenson celebrate her 25th birthday a week ago.
After the shooting, friends said Kyle Hicke, 37, now of Milton but formerly of Janesville, had been threatening Ostenson since he got out of jail March 29, even sending her threatening text messages.
"He (Hicke) was just blowing up her phone with texts," said another friend, Shayna Adcox, 24.
Police took Hicke into custody later Wednesday morning after a high-speed chase during which he taunted police and neighbors and traumatized friends with an obscene gesture from his truck.
Wepking said after the shooting that she had told her best friend to stay away from Hicke.
Amanda Helling, 24, another friend, said Hicke dated Ostenson for five years. But when he recently went to jail, Ostenson told him she didn't want to be with him anymore, Helling recalled.
When Hicke was released from jail, he tried to get back together with Ostenson.
"She told him no," Wepking said. "He asked her to marry him. She said no."
When she refused, he threatened her, her son and the man she was dating.
Helling said Hicke was angry that Ostenson was dating someone else.
"He told Erica he was going to kill her," Wepking said. "He told her if he couldn't have her, nobody was going to.
"I told her to go the cops," Wepking said.
"I know he was crazy, but I didn't think he would actually do it."
Helling and Wepking were in tears Wednesday morning, recalling how the three girls had grown up together in the Fourth Ward. Helling remembered riding bikes together along Academy Street.
Another friend, Holly Kroning, 35, was in shock Wednesday afternoon. Word of the killing had spread quickly through the neighborhood.
Kroning lives several blocks from Ostenson and had just seen her and her son the night before. Kroning watched the 5-year-old boy for a short time.
Kroning met Ostenson when Kroning was dating Damon's father, who is not Hicke.
Adcox said she also went out with Hicke while he was seeing Ostenson. Adcox said Hicke had "bad bipolar and depression problems."
Adcox said she used to live with Ostenson, Hicke and Damon. Adcox said Hicke had been verbally abusive to Adcox.
Kroning said, "From what (Ostenson) told me, he was abusive."
Hicke had a pattern of violence, including six arrests for disorderly conduct and three for battery, said Dave Moore, acting police chief.
Five of the incidents were domestic disturbances. Hicke was arrested for disorderly conduct and domestic violence in June 2008 after an incident involving Ostenson, Moore said.
"I didn't realize the extent of what was going on," Kroning said.
Wednesday afternoon, Kroning was struck by how fragile life is. She had seen Ostenson just the night before when she had watched Damon.
"I'm still in shock in finding out that she's gone," Kroning said. "Less than 24 hours ago, I just saw her."
Ostenson was a genuine, caring, kind person, Kroning said. She was fun to be around.
Ostenson had attended Craig High School and was a member of the class of 2003. On her MySpace page, Ostenson said she liked to read, draw and spend time with her son.
Kroning said "life was fun" for Ostenson. She liked to "hang out with friends and just basically be around people."
"She was a good girl," said Amanda Helling. "When people needed help, she would help."
Wepking said her friend was "always there when you needed her." She was "very outgoing, energetic and her son was her life."
"She was a good friend to a lot of people," Adcox said.
Ostenson adored her son and did the best she could for him, she said.
"She didn't deserve none of this."