once in the back. But just because you scouted early and got your stand set up doesnt mean you own that area for the fall. Vang raised his rifle in one smooth, continuous sweeping motion as he circled right, kneeled, and aimed at Willers. Charles Manson and the Tate and LaBianca Murders. The Hmong immigrant was found guilty of murdering six deer hunters and wounding two others during a confrontation over trespassing, rejecting his claims he shot in self-defense after one hunter used racial slurs and another fired at him. [7] According to Terry Willers' testimony, "As Bob got back on the radio and asked me where he was at and I said, uh, he's heading south down on the food plot right now. As he neared the site, he and Hesebeck came face to face. His second marriage ended after he nearly choked his wife to death for gambling away $3,000. His third shot flattened Hesebeck, who fell stunned and still. The trial of Chai Soua Vang began Saturday, September 10, 2005 at the Sawyer County Courthouse in Hayward. Terry Willers was the first eyewitness to the shooting to testify. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. Soua Yang, daughter of Yong Chue Yang and Chong Xyooj, passed away on August 23, 2022. "I could guess probably, approximately. Vang also disliked trespassing laws, believing all land should be open to hunting. Mike Bartz, a retired Wisconsin conservation warden, was the senior law enforcement officer at the crime scene that day. Hot-Tempered Scofflaw Xia Soua Chang was 85 years old when he recently passed on December 5, 2017. Why are we still having these debates? Vang had the ability to shoot, but not the bullets. Vang has owned a 1987 Nissan pickup, according to an online search service. A deer hunter shot and killed six other deer hunters including a young woman. "I'd like to see it, but you've got to have the budget for it. Drew was among the six hunters shot to Wisconsin does not have a death penalty. It was stupid," Willers said. Five years ago, I spoke with family members of the victims, as well as one of the hunters wounded. Vang then apologized and started moving south towards a trail through a forested area of the property. But Willers had radioed to his hunting party in a nearby cabin. Chai Soua Vang shoots eight people on a hunting trip in Wisconsin in a contested dispute on hunting land Vang trespassed on. Willers used this term to describe Chai Vang when he radioed back to the cabin. Chai Vang got lost during a hunting trip and wandered into a plot of private land. Willers used a handheld radio to ask the people still in the cabin whether or not anyone should be in the stand. Half the courtroom was filled with the friends and families of the shooting victims. concrete business in Rice Lake. Assuming Hesebeck was dead, Vang raced after Bob Crotteau, whose blaze-orange coat made him easy to see. The father of seven said he had come home from work about 2 a.m. on Nov. 20, the day before the killings. The sadness of it all never leaves, said Culhane, who covered the six-day event. Vang eventually came across another hunter riding an ATV (who had no affiliation with the victims), and this hunter offered to give him a ride, eventually taking him to Vang's cabin. Hayward, Wis. Terry Willers took the stand Monday, to give his version of events that left six dead and two wounded last fall. Crime Profile: The Debra Evans Case. [5][13], There have been conflicting reports about what may have led to the shootings. Shot in the back twice. Meanwhile, Willers called the cabin around 11:30 a.m. to say he had evicted the tree rat. The elder Crotteau replied that he wanted to make sure the trespasser got the message to never return. The all-white jury, made up of four men and 10 women, were pooled from nearly 300 miles away in Dane County. Vang then closed in and shot him twice more from behind, putting the final shot into his head. "He just kept saying it was stupid, what happened. Willers said he was alone when he confronted Chai Vang. Nov 21, 2022. Peery said he and most everyone else with the DNR recalls the shootings. His next court appearance is set for February 14. He claimed self-defense. This study analyzes Chai Soua Vang's testimony in the 2005 murder trial. need your help for this. 12:00 a.m. Sept. 17, 2005: For The Record Los Angeles Times Saturday September 17, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 57 words Type of Material: Correction Hunter trial -- An article in Fridays Section A about the trial of a man accused of killing six hunters in Wisconsin said Chai Soua Vang faced two counts of attempted murder. He pulled the telescopic sight from his rifle because if I had the scope, I couldnt shoot close distance.. And he said, 'Yeah,'" Brandon Willers said. One of the hunters wrote down the number in the dirt-covered ATV. Additional forensic analysis of Willers' gun was not performed by the local law enforcement which caused the court to take a break from trial. "I don't think that we can begin to have a serious dialogue about racism and about racial hatred in these communities if we don't acknowledge that this played a role.". Vang lived in Sacramento and eventually enlisted in the California National Guard. We got in the back of it standing up (ATV), hanging on the rear bar. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. It includes a walkway that contains comments and names of donors to the project. A few months later, Xiong moved with the couple's five children to live with her parents in Milwaukee. Chai Vang was a decorated marksman with a military background. - Click to learn more.. Vang sprinted to cut the corner to the trail to close the gap, and shot him in the lower back at about 65 yards. He shot and killed Bob Crotteau, Joey Crotteau, Denny Drew, Al Laski, Mark Roidt, and Jessica Willers. The Aryan Brotherhood. I next thought about moving and I couldn't move. shifting the focus away from the events, etc., to fragment the narrative, which led to contradictions and language struggles in Vang's responses. Friend Denny Drew, 55, would lie mortally wounded, shot through the lower chest, pancreas, stomach, and small intestine. Privacy Policy. Vang, now 46, is serving a life-without-parole sentence - six consecutive life terms plus . by Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio. Vang later said, If I dont shoot him, he would shoot me.[5][6][12][13], Vangs first shot missed Willers as he ran and dove for cover, but Willers landed atop his rifle and couldnt turn over before Vangs second shot hit his lower left neck, neutralizing him. Willers, meanwhile, had regained feeling in his fingers, and called the cabin for help. They claim the hunter (s) called Vang racist names, and that one of the hunters shot at him before he opened fire. Further, most mass shootings involve premeditation. They also heard the judge during sentencing refer to Vang, a truck driver and experienced hunter who moved to the Twin Cities area from California in 2000, as a time bomb ready to go off at the slightest provocation. As the white population share of the US decreases, the white far right are increasingly forming militia groups; obtaining combat training and experience from the military and joining police departments. In 1959, he married Mao Vang Chang as his wife. By that time Vang was chasing Joey Crotteau, who fled down a trail. [1], Born in Laos, Vang and his siblings relocated to the United States in 1980 and settled in California. Vang instantly turned toward the men on their machines and shot Roidt, the round killed him before he fell, as his ATV, still in gear, idled forward. In his testimony, Willers spoke slowly and quietly. When he pulled his rifles trigger the 23rd time while confronting a hunter he previously wounded, Vang discovered it was empty. At least one dying man made groaning sounds, Vang said. Yackel described Vang as a time bomb ready to go off at the slightest provocation. Vang, a 36-year-old National Guard veteran who lives in St. Paul, Minn., told jurors that the violent confrontation happened after he inadvertently trespassed on private property in Rice Lake, Wis., and one of the hunters swore at him and used racial slurs. and her father Dennis Drew at the sentencing hearing of Chai Soua When I shined my flashlight on the passenger, I saw he was wearing camouflage and he fit our suspects description, Peery said. He also climbed out of the tree. Los Angeles, A $150,000 executive protection dog? Judge Norman Yackel ordered Chai Soua Vang, 37, to serve six life prison terms, one after the other, guaranteeing he would never be freed from prison. Neither moved. "It is setting the table for the evidence yet to come, and that is what we were doing today," Kohn said. Cookie Notice I drew my gun, and gave him commands to put his hands up and listen to my instructions. Sign in to access your profile, save content and more. He then shot three where they sat or crouched, chased down a father and adult son who fled, and ambushed a young nurse and her driver from behind as they rode unarmed on an ATV to render aid. Of the dead, Vang shot four in the back and two in the side, executing three with follow-up shots as if dispatching a wounded animal. The new park was officially dedicated Monday, Aug. 7, 2006, to honor six northern Wisconsin deer hunters fatally shot in 2004 after a confrontation with another hunter over a hunting stand. The Marinette County District Attorney charged 28-year-old James Nichols with first degree homicide, with being a felon in possession of a handgun, and with concealing a corpse. Gen. Peg Lautenschlager, who led the cross-examination of Vang. The shooting followed a racially charged trespassing confrontation.. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. That manChai Soua Vang, 36, of St. Paul, Minnesota, a certified sharpshooter and six-year National Guard veteranopened fire by first shooting the group's only armed hunter. A funeral service for Soua will be held Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Weaver Mortuary, 1177 Beaumont Ave, Beaumont, California 92223. By the end of the day, instead of returning to his home with his game, Chai Soua Vang was in police custody for the alleged shooting of eight . | Ive loved true crime since Forensic Files was Medical Detectives. The whites never called 911 dispatch to report an emergency, but rather one of their cop friends. Chai Soua Vang, seenafter his sentencingTuesday, claims he shot other hunters in self-defense after one man used racial slurs and another fired at him. The jury selection was moved to that area after Vangs defense team expressed fears about being able to find unbiased jurors because of pretrial media coverage. The land in the area is a mix of public and private. Vang reloaded, approached closer as Crotteau struggled forward, and shot him again. During cross-examination, however, Vang repeatedly acknowledged that he knew most of the hunting party was unarmed. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. [16][17], The criminal complaint states that Vang shot four of his attackers in the back, and Vang himself admits he shot one attacker in the back. Up in Wisconsin, a gentleman named Chai Soua Vang, a 36-year-old Hmong immigrant, just blew away six people, apparently because they threw him out of their privately-owned deer stand he had decided to take over for his own use. He faces three such counts. Xiong says prosecuting the case as a hate crime in addition to homicide would promote that. Vang, according to testimony, reversed his blaze-orange jacket to camouflage. Whitehurst described the standoff: Their eyes met. The cold brutality of it all; especially how Vang hid as the ATV approached with the young woman. "All came to Green Bay for one purpose," Campbell says, "and that was to sit down with Pa and explain what was going on and explain why things were moving at the particular pace that they are and what was going to come next and so on." After setting up a perimeter to prevent Vangs escape, the wardens used an airplane to search for hunters throughout the afternoon, and sent in tactical units to escort them from the woods. Vang ran over, shot Laski through the back, and then stepped behind Jessica, and fired a shot through her neck. They will always grieve, always wonder, always wish they could turn back the clock to that day and never have to live it. September 13, 2005. The clash of cultures and races reached a climax in November 2004, after Chai Soua Vang, a naturalized Hmong American from Laos, shot eight people, killing six, in northwest Wisconsin. Chai Soua Vang, a naturalized U.S. citizen, is a Hmong immigrant from Laos who lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota at the time of the shootings. Soua Hang Vang, age 79, of Appleton, passed away peacefully Wednesday, March 4, at Theda Clark Medical Center with family by her side. He was full of himself with all his friends around, even though the other guy had a loaded rifle. The quarrel began when Vang said he wanted to go out and his wife, Xiong, did not want him to leave. Crotteau, his son Joey, and two friends then rode out on the Crotteaus UTV. He is being held at Iowa State Penitentiary. After spotting an unoccupied treestand about 2 miles from his groups campsite on Nov. 21, 2004, Vang pulled on a camouflage facemask and climbed up. Terry Willers' son Brandon also testified. Tuesday, prosecutors intend to put more witnesses on the stand who were on the property the day of the shooting. It came down to two strong personalities; one a bully and the other homicidal, he said. As Vang spoke, members of both his family and dozens of survivors of the victims cried quietly. HAYWARD, Wis. Ten months after an angry confrontation at a northwestern Wisconsin deer stand erupted in gunfire, leaving six hunters dead, two wounded and an entire community in pain, nine guilty verdicts against Chai Soua Vang brought a sense of relief to families of the victims. Joey Crotteau, 20, would lie dead where Vang chased him down and shot him four times in the back; the last bullet striking his neck and head. He didnt know who owned the stand or the 80-acre property, but he could see their cabin roof from his perch. "(I) asked what happened, and Loren said, 'He opened up on us.' The defense is claiming that Vang was acting in self-defense. There are no events at this time. Willers said he didn't hear any threats against Vang, although he couldn't understand all of what was being said. Share Follow Report this obituary Events There are no events at this time. Nichols admitted to killing Vang, insisting the killing was self-defense. The affected families have since celebrated birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other milestones without those lost. Vang said, You're not dead yet? and raised his rifle to shoot. Six were killed and two were left wounded. Many of those same people recently declined to speak about the massacre, which received national attention. Trial testimony by Terry Willers and Lauren Hesebeckas well as from Vang, who testified against his attorneys advicedescribed an angry, one-sided verbal confrontation when Bob Crotteau arrived. CHAI VALE: Do you know you are trespassing 400 acres of land, you damn (beep). It brought racial and safety concerns that still linger. Robert Crotteau, 42, would lie dead where Vang chased him down and shot him through the heart. Married with 3 children. A violent altercation broke out and four of the eight victims were shot in the back, and three of these four were hit by multiple rounds. Its pretty tough to imagine.. Everyone has felt a part of the hurt and the pain. Nov. 21. He was last reported to be imprisoned in Iowa. When he fired, the bullet struck Jessica in the left buttock, blew through her hip, and struck Laski, shattering his lower spine and abdomen. Willers is the man who first confronted Chai Vang, who was in a deer stand on Willers' wooded property. As he fled, Crotteau called the cabin on his walky-talky to tell Laski to bring guns. They only talked a little about what happened. Joey Crotteau, 20, Robert's son The trial began Saturday and jurors are expected to begin deliberations today. Chai Soua Vang, who this week told jurors how he chased down a hunting party in a horrific shooting spree last fall, was found guilty Friday of murdering six . Still, Kohn was not able to break new ground that would explain how he intends to show that Chai Vang was frightened for his life. It also brought about a mental solidarity that life is more important than a deer, a disagreement, a misconception and a derogatory comment. Judge. Jessica Willers, 27, a nurse from Married with 3 children. Crotteau stepped toward Vang and flipped down the backtag. Phil Spector and the Murder of Lana Clarkson. A father and son, who had tried to make their escape, were pursued by the. There will never be answers for all this, said Rena Einum, a student services staff member at Rice Lake High School, where donated funds were used to present six annual scholarships each of the past 10 years in honor of the hunters. Allan Laski, 43, manager of a Rice Lake area lumber yard. Vang, a six-year veteran of the California National Guard, shot eight people while he unintentionally trespassed upon a hunting group in northern Wisconsin on November 21 . the stomach and died in the Vang told the jury he feared for his life and began firing only after another hunter's shot nearly hit him. All in all, a good kill/death ratio. The Saint Paul man is serving multiple life sentences for killing six hunters in northwestern Wisconsin's Sawyer County more than two years ago. Vang, a six-year veteran of the California National Guard, shot eight people while on a hunting trip in northern Wisconsin on November 21, 2004; six were killed and two were wounded. As Vang walked away, he said that Crotteau kept asking for the number of his hunting license. During his two-and-a-half hour testimony at the Sawyer County Courthouse, Vang said he feared for his life after one of the hunters shot at him, and believed the others were running away to get more guns. The homicide charges carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison, but Yackel could have set a parole eligibility date for Vang. At military reservations only service members and retirees can hunt. Chia passed away in 1915, at age 75. chia vang (born vue), 1952 - 2014 chia vang (born vue) 1952 2014. chia vang (born vue) . He was a murderer.. (Pool photo via Associated Press) The hunting party loosely surrounded Vang while Crotteau yelled, but no one hit, kicked, or pushed the trespasser. By that time Vang was chasing Joey Crotteau, who fled down a trail. . . Clad in a striped shirt and scarlet-colored tie and slacks, Vangs mood on the stand fluctuated between being animated and confused. Every user of outdoor spaces can align against one common enemy: surface shitters. SOUA XIONG OBITUARY. He said, Why the [expletive] were you in my sons stand, said Vang, who began yelling in the courtroom to mimic Crotteaus voice. All were relatives and friends who gathered to hunt from the Crotteaus cabin near Exeland. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help Willers and the other wounded hunter, Lauren Hesebeck, said no one in their group pointed a gun at Vang before he opened fire. Thank you very much in advance. He pointed it again and fired once. 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