Crime & Safety

Reckless Homicide Trial Against Waukesha Man Begins

Waukesha's Kevin Cobus faces two counts of first-degree reckless homicide; prosecutors say he supplied the drugs the led to fatal overdoses of a Muskego woman and a Delafield man.

Persuading the jury to “judge him on his acts,” the state opened its reckless homicide case Monday against Waukesha’s Kevin Cobus.

Cobus, 28, faces two counts of first-degree reckless homicide in the drug overdose deaths of Jamie Hansen, 24, of Muskego and Cody Riggs, 26, of Delafield. Investigators say Cobus supplied the fatal dose of drugs to both people.

"Everyone knows you can't judge a book by its cover, and while the defendant sits here and doesn't look like someone who would be a heroin user, you must judge him on his acts," said prosecutor Susan Opper during opening arguments in Waukesha County Circuit Court.  

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She explained to the jury that while the prosecution would not have to prove Cobus was a drug dealer, he would fit the definition of someone who delivered the drug used in both overdose deaths, and that the drug was a substantial factor in their deaths.

However, defense attorney Gary Schmaus argued that there were other suppliers of the drug that both Hansen and Riggs used, and that ultimately it was their decisions that led to their deaths.

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"While he may be the only person common to a particular transaction, the deceased had other suppliers. We live in a society where it's always this person's fault or that person's fault, but doesn't everyone believe that we're all responsible for our own actions?" Schmaus said. "Sometimes a tragedy is just that."

Hansen was found in her home on July 12, 2011, by her stepfather John Orlando. Riggs was also found in his home Jan. 6, 2012 by his brother. The prosecution told the jury of three men and 11 women that this would not be the only similarity between the two cases, as both were longtime friends of the defendant.

Stepfather knew of drug use

The prosecution's first witness was Orlando, who had known Hansen since she was about a year old. At times overcome with emotion, he told the court that he repeatedly tried to stop Hansen's drug use, even sending her to live with relatives in northern Wisconsin to "get away from the elements here."

Orlando said that he knew she struggled with drug use since attending Muskego High School. He never witnessed Hansen using drugs, he told the court, but would find paraphernalia in their home. He told the court Hansen and her boyfriend, Kyle Obst, who lived with her in the home for about six months, were not employed and did not receive money from him because, "I had a feeling I knew where the money would go."

Witnesses from the Muskego Police Department, including Officer Candace Hendrickson and Detective Shawn Diedrich, were also questioned about the moment they arrived on the scene and the investigation that ensued.

Additional witnesses for the prosecution are expected from the Waukesha County Medical Examiner's office, law enforcement from the city of Delafield and other drug experts. Testimony is expected to conclude some time on Friday before the case goes to the jury. 


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