What happens when a seemingly blissful relationship between a teenage girl and her military-trained husband spirals into a chilling tragedy? Hear the haunting story of Danielle Nemetz, a 19-year-old whose life was abruptly ended by a bullet from the AR-15 rifle of her husband, Skyler Nemetz. Skyler claimed it was an accident, a mishap while cleaning his weapon, but his actions post the incident raised a sea of questions that our investigation dives into.
We journey through the whirlwind romance of Danielle and Skyler, from their innocent beginnings on Facebook to their rapid cohabitation, while also revealing the contrasting elements of their personalities. The ghostly silence of Danielle's friends when around Skyler, his peculiar behavior post the incident, and finally, the questioning by police that led to his arrest, we cover it all. Join us for this unsettling exploration of a love story that turned into a dreadful nightmare, leaving us questioning the very nature of the people closest to us.
What happens when a seemingly blissful relationship between a teenage girl and her military-trained husband spirals into a chilling tragedy? Hear the haunting story of Danielle Nemetz, a 19-year-old whose life was abruptly ended by a bullet from the AR-15 rifle of her husband, Skyler Nemetz. Skyler claimed it was an accident, a mishap while cleaning his weapon, but his actions post the incident raised a sea of questions that our investigation dives into.
We journey through the whirlwind romance of Danielle and Skyler, from their innocent beginnings on Facebook to their rapid cohabitation, while also revealing the contrasting elements of their personalities. The ghostly silence of Danielle's friends when around Skyler, his peculiar behavior post the incident, and finally, the questioning by police that led to his arrest, we cover it all. Join us for this unsettling exploration of a love story that turned into a dreadful nightmare, leaving us questioning the very nature of the people closest to us.
Skyler Nemitz, 21, shot his wife, danielle Nemitz, 19, in the back of the head as she sat at a computer in October 16, 2014 in their apartment. He later told police he was cleaning his AR-15 rifle and didn't think it was loaded. Welcome to this episode of Human Wreckage. We will be talking about the tragic story of Danielle Nemitz Heartbreaking, to say the least. Let's get into it. Skyler and Danielle were the picture of a happy couple. No one who knew them could have imagined the tragic events that unfolded in October 16, 2014. Police found Skyler's recollection of events to be questionable. From the start, as a member of the US Army, skyler was well trained in how to properly use firearms. Both Skyler and Danielle enjoyed going to shooting ranges together and neither of them were unfamiliar with how to safely handle guns. Police also found it odd that Skyler was not the one who called 911 to report the shooting. Instead, he put all the firearms inside the apartment away and hid two empty bottles of alcohol. Police showed up to the home after a neighbor called to report hearing gunfire.
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I was like I didn't need to hurt anybody. Please, john, please, john, forgive me. I love my wife so much. I tried to clear the rifle because I was her safety. Now, I was her safety, not some stupid guy.
Speaker 1:
I left for a month because I was gone. I was the safety I was going to clear it.
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I was going to put it away. I was going to come up behind it. I was going to kiss her on the neck and I was going to come up behind it. I was going to kiss her on the neck and I was going to tell her I loved her. Danielle, f***, danielle. Who the f*** does this happen to? How does this happen to people? What the f***, what the f***?
Speaker 1:
Danielle, my wife is dead because of her firearms. I'm going to go to prison the rest of my life. I'm going to get kicked out of the military. I'm not going to be in the military.
Speaker 2:
I never meant to hurt you. I love you so much, danielle, aaaaaaah.
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Once at the police station, skyler was questioned about why he did not attempt to help Danielle or call police. He said that he was absolutely certain that Danielle was dead, which is why he did not render aid. The police were skeptical of Skyler's story. After hours of questioning, skyler was booked on murder charges and held on a $1 million bail. Danielle and Skyler met in October 2012,. While Danielle was just a junior in high school. At the time, she lived in McKinleyville, california. Skyler lived in a neighboring town and had recently graduated from a nearby high school. The pair initially connected on Facebook and then met in person at a high school football game while Danielle was cheerleading. The two quickly got into a serious relationship. After just a month of dating, danielle moved in with Skyler at his mother's house. Danielle's loved ones thought the relationship was moving quickly, but Danielle was happy, so they tried to be happy for her. Danielle was always described as a bubbly, friendly young girl, but her friends noticed that Skyler seemed to be the opposite. One of Danielle's closest friends noted that whenever she brought Skyler around, he did not engage in conversation or make any effort to get to know any of the people in Danielle's life.
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Skyler returned from Yakima on October 16, 2014. By his account, he and Danielle were very excited to see each other. He told police that they ordered pizza to celebrate and that he also drank some fireball and red bull. Skyler maintained that he was not intoxicated but slightly buzzed. Shortly after Skyler returned home, danielle FaceTime with her best friend, mikala Yingling. Mikala would later tell investigators that Danielle seemed happy that Skyler was home. Skyler was also seen during their FaceTime call and Mikala said that he seemed to be in a good mood as well. Mikala had no idea that Danielle would be dead just minutes after they hung up.
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By Skyler's account, danielle asked him to clean and put away her AR-15 rifle while she sat down at her computer to get some work done. Danielle was facing away from Skyler when he lifted the gun and it fired. Instead of calling police, skyler then hid all of their firearms in a closet and dumped out of the bottles of fireball and sailor jerries before throwing them off a balcony. Skyler also seemingly did not make any effort to revive Danielle. As previously stated, it was a neighbor who ended up calling the police, not Skyler. When police arrived on the scene, they put Skyler in the patrol car. He continuously cried and called out for Danielle while in police custody. Prosecutors tonight say the death of a soldier's wife in Lakewood was a crime of passion and jealousy, but the 20-year-old joint-based Lewis McCord soldier still insists it was all an accident. Kyra 7's Kevin McCarty was in court as that man was charged with her murder and Kevin's story kept changing throughout.
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He told three different stories Angela claiming it was a suicide, claiming it was an accident. Now he's locked up here in the Pierce County Jail and he's charged with her murder. The prosecutor says after Skylo Niemitz shot his 19 year old wife in the back of the head with an AR-15, he made up several stories, first saying she shot herself, then claiming her death was an accident. The true story is that a defendant shot his wife because he believed she was cheating on him. The 20 year old joint base Lewis McCord soldier had just returned from a training exercise when investigators say he found out someone had purchased alcohol for his wife, danielle Enraged. Prosecutors say Niemitz shot her as she sat at the computer. Last Thursday night at the couple's Lakewood apartment she was found slumped over dead from a single gunshot wound. And I actually was just talking to my husband about these.
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Last night Kyro7 found this YouTube of Danielle Niemitz demonstrating makeup. Prosecutors say Niemitz's story that he shot his wife by accident made no sense. He was trained to use weapons and own 15 guns, even leaving one for his wife to protect herself when he wasn't home. They had his and her AR-15 rifles. This was apparently her rifle. Tonight, skyler Niemitz is on a suicide watch in the Pierce County jail. He has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first degree murder and his bail has been set at one million dollars. Live in Tacoma, kevin McCarty, kyro7,. I witness news.
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The prosecution argued that Skyler was a jealous and controlling husband. They showed the jury the abusive text messages that Skyler sent to Danielle. They also noted that it seemed unlikely that Skyler would accidentally set off a firearm, especially since he continuously described himself as well-burst in gun safety. Prosecutors alleged Niemitz shot his wife because he thought she had been unfaithful while he was on a training operation. Niemitz and his attorneys say the AR-15 rifle accidentally went off while he was clearing the chamber. Anthony Fos was called to testify for the prosecution. While on the stand, anthony described Skyler's anger when he learned that Danielle had asked other guys to purchase the alcohol. It was Anthony's testimony that helped drive the prosecution's case. The prosecution believed that Skyler shot Danielle in a rage after learning that Danielle had not been honest about how she obtained the bottles. While Micula said that Skyler seemed to be in a good mood when she saw him during her FaceTime with Danielle, the prosecution stated that it was an act. They believe he waited for Danielle to hang up the phone before he acted.
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Skyler's defense team continued to maintain that Danielle's death was an accident. They called upon witnesses who ended up contradicting Anthony's testimony. A mutual army friend of both Skyler and Anthony stated that he did not see Anthony on the base at the time. Anthony claimed to have the conversation about the alcohol with Skyler. Skyler himself also took the stand and denied speaking to Anthony at all that day. When he took the stand at his trial in February, nemetz broke down in tears and said I never meant to hurt my wife, never meant to hurt her. After the gun went off, he said I went up to my wife on the left side and I saw her face and my wife wasn't there anymore. I saw the gunshot wound. I knew she was dead.
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The jury deliberated for days before they reached a verdict. Members of the jury would later tell reporters that they did not see Skyler as a reliable witness. They felt his testimony was very rehearsed and over exaggerated. However, anthony Foss did not appear to be a reliable witness either. In addition to other witnesses contradicting his testimony, anthony was the prosecution's only witness that claimed to see Skyler in an angry rage that day. Other witnesses, including Danielle's friend Miquela, all stated that Skyler seemed fine that day.
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Due to the fact that Anthony was the only person to testify to Skyler's anger, the jury ultimately felt that the state did not prove that Skyler had intent to kill Danielle. They ended up finding Skyler guilty of first degree manslaughter. However, certain jurors have stated that if the prosecution had an additional piece of evidence to prove intent, the verdict might have been different. The judge gave Skyler the maximum sentence 13 and a half years in prison. During the sentencing, skyler addressed the courtroom saying I'm sorry to everybody here. Most of all I'm sorry to Danielle. I'm sorry that she was ripped out from this world and I'm sorry to her friends and family and I accept any punishment that you give me. After the verdict was read, danielle's family said they weren't happy with the manslaughter conviction, but that they had to accept it A fair sentence. Many disagree. What do you think? Leave a comment. Thank you for listening. Take care of yourselves. See you next episode.