'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwYQAAEEAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQRAAUGEiIUYQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgcRAAEEAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECBBEhAEEDBSP/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AMZAi6ONJ0aFaTWyUw2p63vpYDhlh0gIQ9XUU128dayy4PE1LURxHQJsk0I66H4PeMZQ0dYwgzwIMEYSL53XsoVqt5//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The murder of 18-year-old Breanna Schneller in Wausau, Wisconsin shook everyone because of how brutal the killing was.
Schneller was stabbed multiple times in various parts of her body. She was found lying dead in a pool of blood when her flatmate returned home from work.
Later, Raul Ponce-Rocha, Schneller's boyfriend's co-worker, was found guilty of the crime.
Investigation Discovery's latest episode titled Murder in the Heartland is set to uncover shocking details of this gruesome murder mystery. The episode, which is slated to air on January 9, 2023 at 7 pm is a part of their Deviant Deeds series.
The synopsis of the episode reads:
"Hugo is hysterical after he finds his brother's girlfriend, Breanna Schneller, beaten and stabbed to death; the brothers appear to be devastated, but the discovery of Breanna's missing phone casts doubt on their alibis."
How was Breanna Schneller killed?
Breanna was an 18-year-old who was only a month away from graduation when she was murdered. Raul Ponce-Rocha broke into her apartment and stabbed her multiple times in the chest, neck and torso, killing her.
However, what shocked the investigators more than the crime was the motive behind it.
Raul, who worked in the same restaurant as Breanna's fiance, Sebastian Ramirez, broke into her apartment to steal her undergarments. However, what Raul didn't know was that Breanna was also at home at the time, and when he realized it, Raul decided to kill the 18-year-old with an old iron handle. Breanna's murder wasn't a part of Raul Ponce-Rocha's plan.
How was her body discovered?
Breanna, her fiance Sebastian and his brother Hugo lived in the same apartment in Wausau, Wisconsin. At the time of her murder, both Hugo and Sebastian were at the restaurant that they worked at. However, when Hugo returned from the restaurant in the evening, he found Schneller dead and lying a pool of her own blood.
The investigation
One of the first things the investigators noticed upon arriving at the crime scene was that Schneller's cell phone was missing. This came as a surprise to her family because she was known to be carrying her phone with her all the time.
However, this was a major break in the investigation as it helped investigators find the location of the phone and lead them to the perpetrator. Investigators traced her phone to the dumpster behind El Tequila Salsa, where Hugo, Sebastian and Raul worked, along with two mismatched gloves.
Further investigation led the investigators to Raul Ponce-Rocha. He appeared to be missing from the restaurant at the same time Breanna was murdered. Upon questioning, he revealed that he had he was out to pick up a co-worker who happened to be living in the same area as Schneller.
Ponce-Rocha failed to account for being missing for another 20 minutes.
The arrest
Armed with evidence, the police arrested Ponce-Rocha, who pleaded not guilty, and tried to blame another co-worker, who had a strong alibi. The co-worker had been in Mexico at the time of the murder.
The weapon used to kill Breanna and the gloves recovered from the dumpster had traces of Ponce-Rocha's DNA. This was enough evidence to narrow down on him.
Ponce-Rocha was found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, burglary with a dangerous weapon, and theft. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole.
Raul is currently serving his sentence at the Waupun Correctional Institution in Waupun, Wisconsin.
