Richard Wendell Sotka, a 50-year-old man currently serving two consecutive life sentences for the brutal murders of his girlfriend and her best friend, is scheduled for a new trial in January 2025. Sotka, convicted of killing Rhonda Cegelski, 58, and Paula O’Connor, 53, in a violent act of jealousy, will face charges of attacking a correctional officer during his incarceration. The trial for the alleged battery by a prisoner is set for January 8, 2025, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Sotka’s crimes date back to January 2023 when he killed Cegelski and O’Connor after discovering them being intimate with each other. According to reports, Sotka had been dating Cegelski and returned home one evening after a shower to find her and O’Connor engaged in sexual activity. In a state of rage and humiliation, Sotka attacked both women, repeatedly stabbing them with an 8-inch blade. The two women were found dead by Cegelski’s daughter, who immediately called 911. Investigators later determined that both women had been stabbed multiple times, primarily in the neck and face, and that O’Connor’s body was found near the door with a knife still embedded in her neck, while Cegelski’s body was discovered in the kitchen.
At the time of the murders, Sotka was out on bond for charges of stalking, harassment, and violating a restraining order in a separate case in Oconto County, Wisconsin. He was also required to wear a GPS ankle monitor, which he had cut off and discarded before fleeing the state. Investigators traced his movements via his employer’s truck, which had an OnStar GPS system. Sotka was apprehended in Arkansas, about 10 hours after the bodies were found. At the time of his arrest, he was carrying $4,000 in cash and had his passport with him.
After his arrest, Sotka confessed to the murders, telling investigators that he had “snapped” after walking in on the two women. He said he felt humiliated by the scene and lost control of his emotions, although he could not provide specific details about the killings. Despite confessing to the murders, Sotka denied the charges in the unrelated stalking case in Oconto County. He claimed that his prior relationships, including one from 20 years ago in which he allegedly assaulted a woman by knocking out her teeth, breaking her leg, and fracturing her skull, were not accurately represented.
Sotka’s trial for the battery charge stems from an incident that occurred during his incarceration. In this case, Sotka allegedly attacked a correctional officer with a series of close-fisted punches to the officer’s head. The officer recounted the attack, describing how he was struck in the ear, causing intense pain and disorientation. Despite the officer’s attempts to defend himself, Sotka continued the assault until backup arrived, at which point the aggression reportedly subsided.
The delay in Sotka’s trial for the battery charge had been caused by difficulties in arranging meetings with his attorney and reviewing evidence. Initially set for October 2024, the trial date was pushed back to December and eventually rescheduled for January 2025. Despite these delays, the case has drawn attention due to the severity of the crimes for which Sotka is already incarcerated.
In addition to the double murder charges, Sotka’s violent past has raised further concerns about his behavior, with details of his prior domestic abuse resurfacing. His history of violent outbursts and his extreme reaction to perceived betrayal suggest a deeply troubling pattern of behavior. His upcoming trial will focus not only on the violent attack on the correctional officer but also on the broader context of his violent tendencies, which have manifested in multiple instances of physical aggression.
As he awaits his next trial, Sotka remains behind bars, having already been sentenced to life without parole for the murders of Cegelski and O’Connor.
