Janesville police officers were still collecting evidence well into the afternoon at 412 1/2 S. Academy St. Police say Erica M. Ostenson died after being shot by her ex-boyfriend, Kyle E. Hicke at the house in Janesville's Fourth Ward neighborhood.
Kyle Hicke
Erica Ostensen
JANESVILLE — A Milton man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in Janesville's Fourth Ward neighborhood was arrested on a homicide charge, police said this morning.
Kyle E. Hicke, 37, of 108 Forest Lake Drive, Milton, was arrested after a high-speed chase throughout Janesville and Beloit, said Dave Moore, acting police chief.
He is suspected of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend, Erica M. Ostenson, 25, Janesville, at 9:16 a.m. outside her home at 412 1/2 S. Academy St., Moore said.
Janesville police are asking the Rock County District Attorney's Office to charge Hicke with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree recklessly endangering safety and possession of a firearm by a felon, Deputy Chief Steve Kopp said.
Sheriff's officials are asking prosecutors to charge Hicke with fleeing an officer and recklessly endangering safety charges, Cmdr. Troy Knudson said.
Hicke could have his initial appearance in Rock County Court this afternoon after a criminal complaint is filed.
Hicke killed Ostenson in front of her son, Damon, 5, after an argument, Moore said. He is not the boy's father.
Hicke told police he was high on marijuana, Kopp said.
The boy told police that Hicke was at the house to say his last goodbye, Moore said.
Hicke then went to a pickup truck, grabbed a .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol and repeatedly shot Ostenson, police said.
Ostenson died at Mercy Hospital, Kopp said, and an autopsy was scheduled this morning to determine the number of gunshot wounds.
"I heard two gunshots. It was loud," neighbor Cory Musil said. "Obviously, he lost it."
Robert Benway, a neighbor bordering the backyard, said he heard several shots.
"He emptied the whole gun. You could tell," Benway said. "I didn't hear no screaming, no nothing."
Hicke then fled in his pickup truck, leaving the boy behind.
A high-speed pursuit
A sheriff's deputy saw Hicke southbound on Highway 51 south of Janesville, Sheriff Bob Spoden said.
Hicke led police and sheriff's deputies on a 90-mph chase to Beloit and back to Janesville, Spoden said.
Hicke threw a gun out of the truck during the pursuit, Moore said.
A weapon was found on Highway 51, he said.
Police used stop sticks and ramming maneuvers to try and stop Hicke, damaging patrol vehicles, Spoden said.
Hicke then twice drove past the crime scene, flipping the middle finger to police and others.
Neighbors scattered, running into houses and across lawns.
"He might pull out a gun again," Musil said. "He could drive right into us."
Sherry Musil was visibly nervous after the suspect drove by.
"Holy cow! We got scared to death!" she yelled. "We just ran onto the lawn over there at first. Then, when he came back around, we went home."
'Deadly force'
The chase ended at 9:49 a.m. at the intersection of Mineral Point Drive and Madison Avenue after officers successfully rammed Hicke's vehicle, he said.
No officers were injured, Moore said, and Hicke sustained minor injuries.
"He was clearly out of control and a danger to all of our communities," Moore said. "It was absolutely mandatory to take him into custody.
"Clearly this was a very dangerous situation for our community and for our officers," he said. "The correct decision in this matter was to use deadly force, and one type of deadly force is to ram that vehicle."
Threatening messages
Hicke and Ostenson had been dating for five years, friends said. They often argued.
Ostenson ended the relationship last month when Hicke went to jail, friend Brandi Wepking said.
Hicke was released from jail March 29 after serving a sentence on domestic disorderly conduct and traffic charges, Kopp said.
He was not in the jail's electronic monitoring or Workenders programs after his release, Knudson said.
He was living with his father in Milton, but he has previous addresses in Janesville, Kopp said.
He has a daughter, Phoenix, friends said.
Hicke's father declined to comment this morning.
Hicke wanted to reconcile with Ostenson, but she refused, Wepking said.
He then started threatening Ostenson, she said.
Ostenson's friends told her to call police, but she wouldn't, Wepking said. Instead, she returned Hicke's messages.
Amanda Helling, 24, a friend, said Ostenson was dating a new man. She said that angered her ex-boyfriend.
"He was mad that she didn't want to go out with him anymore," Helling said.
The 400 block of Academy Street was closed off with yellow police tape after the slaying. The house also was surrounded with police tape.
On Wednesday, Ostenson's neighbors and friends stood crying near the crime scene.
A history of violence
Hicke has been arrested six times for disorderly conduct and three times for battery, Moore said. Five of the arrests were domestic disturbances.
Hicke also was arrested for disorderly conduct and domestic violence in June 2008 after an incident with Ostenson, Moore said.
He has one previous felony conviction in October 2004 for eluding an officer in a vehicle, according to online court records.
Two-thirds of the homicides in Janesville stem from domestic violence, Moore said.
"This domestic situation is similar to many others," Moore said. "The most dangerous time for a victim is when she tries to leave the relationship."
Ostenson's son is with his grandmother, Moore said.
"I'd like to offer our thoughts and prayers to the family," he said.
The slaying remains under investigation.