patching...
Update: We've just hit 880 Facebook likes! Click here to help us get to 900! »
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Greenfield Woman Charged in Wednesday's Shooting Death

The suspect has been identified as Regina Rath; the victim is Vincent Rath.

 

Regina Rath, a 45-year-old Greenfield woman, was charged with first degree reckless homicide Friday morning in connection with the shooting death of her 46-year-old husband Vincent Rath on Wednesday.

The shooting occurred at the Rath residence, 4515 W. Morgan Ave., in a neighborhood just blocks away from both Alverno College in Milwaukee and Glenwood Elementary School.

Rath was also charged with the use of a dangerous weapon. If convicted, Rath faces a maximum 60 years in prison for the reckless homicide and five years for the weapons charge.

According to the criminal complaint filed with the district attorney’s office, Nicole Kohanski was sitting on the front porch of 4436 W. Morgan Ave. when she heard a gunshot. Within minutes, Kohanski saw Regina Rath run out of her house and saying, “I shot my husband. I didn’t mean to shoot him.”

When Detective James Bruno of the Greenfield Police Department arrived, he spoke with Rath, who said her husband had been having sex with a number of women from the neighborhood and that she had left him in the past because of his infidelity.

Bruno asked Rath what happened and she replied, “I didn’t mean to shoot him, but I did, I did,” according to the complaint.

The complaint says the Raths were having marital trouble, and police told Greenfield Patch on Wednesday that they had responded to multiple domestic violence calls at the residence since 2006. Rath told police she reached her breaking point Wednesday when Vincent told her, “You’re not (expletive), never will be (expletive). You never will make it in this world. You need to get some help.”

Rath said she was packing her bag with clothes to leave when her husband got in her face. At some point she grabbed a gun, told her husband to get away from her and then fired the gun.

“I shot Vince with the gun,” Rath told police, according to the complaint. “I did not mean to kill him, but I did.”

When Sergeant Mike Brunner entered the house, he found the victim sitting in an armchair with a gunshot wound to the chest. When he checked for vital signs, there were none.

Brunner also observed a semi-automatic pistol lying on table near the chair.

After police obtained a search warrant, Detective David Leon recovered the gun, a Smith & Wesson black 9mm handgun.

Related Topics: Greenfield Police Department, Greenfield Shooting Death, Regina Rath, and Vincent Rath

Stephanie Elizabeth

9:55 pm on Friday, June 10, 2011

that is so crazy and so close to home ...:(

Reply

Kelly Quick

5:49 pm on Monday, June 13, 2011

yes this is crazy Vincent was the brother of a very dear family friend of my familys my thoughts an prayers go out to the Rath family

Reply

Paul Carlsokme10n

11:06 am on Saturday, August 6, 2011

Regina you are my friend and always will be. I love you and just know God will take care of you.

Reply

Sandra

9:21 pm on Friday, May 11, 2012

Regina i'm sorry for everything that happen and God can heal all wombs and may God bless the Rath family,, Sandra Ratcliff

Reply

Aaliyah smith

10:36 pm on Tuesday, July 24, 2012

He is no longer here with me because what she did!! He has 3 grandchildern an one of them is 13 then the Other is 3 an the last one Is 1 an the will really never know what he was really like. Besides stories that the family will tell.

Reply

shanda

1:21 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012

vincent was my dad maybe not by blood but he has raised me since the age of 10. he was there when i had my daughter and i love him dearly ... this is such a tragedy because regina is my mother i don't understand this and never will . i know my step-sister lost her father and my heart goes out to her and her beautiful children. but i lost him as well there is not a night that goes by that i dont think of him!!!!! the world is missing a great man . i was closer to him then i was my mom . But i loved them both the same. we can not pick our parents. I know that my dad is up there watching over us all .Aaliyah i'm very sorry for the pain my mom has caused your family REALLY i'm... maybe one day you will forgive her. maybe not its okay either way it goes . all i can say is your grandfather was a good man very sweet and i loved him. very very much and still do. SORRy FOR THE PAIN THIS HAS CAUSED YOU ALL......HE DID NOT DESERVE THIS !!!!! NO ONE DOES!!!!!!!!

Reply

Leave a comment