4. Kari Hodge

October 31, 2000

Madison

Dane County 

Kari Hodges was fatally shot by her live-in boyfriend, Christopher Nelson, 29. Less than an hour before her death, Kari had been talking with her sister, Jessi Hodges, on the phone. Jessi had heard arguing going on in the background. “Chris, get that gun out of my face,” is what she heard before the line went dead and her sister was murdered. Their two-year old son was found in the home when police arrived.

Police saw Christopher flee the scene upon arrival and he eluded arrest until January 19, 2001, when he was found in Sauk County. Kari’s family members attested to Chris’s prior abusive behavior toward Kari and court records show that Chris was arrested and convicted of a domestic related incident against another girlfriend in September 2000.

Christopher Nelson was charged with First Degree Intentional Homicide and pled guilty/no contest to First Degree Reckless Homicide. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison with 10 years extended supervision. 

Christopher had several prior arrests including a 1996 felony conviction. Kari is survived by their son.

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