A former Wisconsin sheriff’s deputy was convicted Friday in connection with the shooting death of his girlfriend’s 18-year-old son over the alleged theft of exotic reptiles, Law & Crime reports.
William Zelenski, 46, was found guilty on one count of first-degree intentional homicide at the end of a five-day trial.
Prosecutors accused Zelenski of fatally shooting Ryelee Manente-Powell in 2020.
His sentencing is scheduled or Aug. 22. A judge on Friday ordered a presentencing investigation, according to the report.
Zelenski had claimed self-defense in the Oct. 19, 2020, shooting.
He called 911 at around 10:30 p.m. that day to report that he shot Manente-Powell. He alleged his girlfriend's son attacked him after he confronted the teen and alleged accomplice Ashton Tody over the thefts of the exotic reptiles, which included a lizard valued at $17,000 and a baby Burmese python valued at $7,000, the report said.
He also accused Manente-Powell and Tody of stealing guns and alcohol.
Prosecutors disputed Zelenski’s self-defense claim, noting that Manente-Powell was unarmed, and that Zelenski didn’t attempt to provide aid to the teen after the shooting.
Tiffany Powell, Manente-Powell’s mother, was at the scene of the shooting and initially testified that her son “took off his shirt” to fight her boyfriend, but doorbell camera footage showed Zelenski handing her a gun that she pointed at her son before returning it to Zelenski, according to the report.
In later testimony she said her son shouted at Zelenski to “put the gun down and fight like a man,” and disputed Zelenski’s assertion that Manente-Powell attacked him. She also confirmed that her son was unarmed.
