MONDAY, 02/13/2023, 3:32 p.m.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The man accused of killing two women at a Green Bay residence back in late January made his first court appearance on Monday afternoon.
48-year-old Richard Sotka was charged with two counts of 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide and is being held on a $2 million bond along with $15,000 for bail jumping.
Prosecutors cited Sotka’s long criminal history as justification for the high bond number. Sotka has multiple open cases in Oconto County including ones for stalking, violating a restraining order, and a misdemeanor battery domestic abuse charge.
According to a criminal complaint, Sotka even recalled to police a previous incident where he went to prison for breaking a woman’s leg, fracturing her skull, and knocking out several of her teeth.
In addition, after allegedly killing the two women in Green Bay he removed a GPS tracking device from his body that he was supposed to wear as he fled in his car to Arkansas.
“Given the nature of the charges, the flight risk, getting rid of the GPS and frankly the statements of the defendant which are mostly a confession and the strength of the state’s case I’m going to set the bond at $2 million,” said Brown County court commissioner Paul Burke.
Sotka appeared in court via a Zoom call, but didn’t speak. His attorney spoke briefly saying her client understood the charges he faced.
Several of the victims family members appeared on the Zoom call as well, but none of them spoke. Local Five News spoke to one of Sotka’s relatives who was in the courtroom this afternoon. She said that out of respect to the victims’ family she didn’t want to speak to us on camera right now. However, she said she wanted to express her sincere condolences to the victims’ families and said she’s shocked by what happened.
An attorney for the victims’ family said she didn’t want to comment on the case right now.
Local 5 News was at the Brown County Courthouse, where the judge has scheduled Sotka’s preliminary hearing for February 22, 2023.
We will continue to bring you updates as this case continues.
Green Bay double homicide suspect returns to Wisconsin, set to make first court appearance
MONDAY, 02/13/2023, 11:00 a.m.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The man accused of killing two women at a Green Bay residence back in late January is set to make his first court appearance.
48-year-old Richard Sotka is back in Green Bay after he was arrested in Arkansas back in late January. Sotka is charged with two counts of 1st-Degree Intentional homicide.
Court records show that Sotka is scheduled to appear in court on February 13 at 2 p.m. for his initial appearance. He was officially charged back on February 1.
No additional information was provided at this time. Local 5 will update this story as more details are released.
