GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The 49-year-old Green Bay man accused of a double homicide has been found guilty on all charges.
Richard Sotka has been convicted of killing his girlfriend Rhonda Cegelski and her friend Paula O’Connor inside Cegelski’s duplex in January 2023.
“He asked ‘Are they deceased?” said District Attorney Dana Johnson. “He stabbed Rhonda over and over again to the face and neck. He knows she’s deceased.”
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Sotka was quickly identified as a person of interest after a witness said Sotka was dating Cegelski. He was arrested in Arkansas on January 29, 2023, around 3 p.m. Detectives traveled down to Arkansas and interviewed Sotka.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by Local 5 News, the day the incident happened, Sotka said he got out of the shower and came downstairs to the two women in a ‘comprising position.’ Sotka said that his girlfriend was going to kick him out.
Sotka explained that he snapped and lost it. He also said that the reason this happened was that he was humiliated.
“He freely indicated, told what he used, believed it to be what was obviously a knife,” said Johnson. “Certainly matches the crime scene that he said happened.”
“If he were going to make up a story, that would have been the time to do it. If he were going to deny that he was there, that would have been the time to do it,” said Defense Attorney John Herman. “If he were to fabricate some sort of crazy thing, he would have done it. But no, that’s not what he did.”
Sotka had multiple charges, including:
- 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide
- Use of a Dangerous Weapon
- Domestic Abuse Assessments
- 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide
- Use of a Dangerous Weapon
- Bail Jumping-Felony
- Bail Jumping-Felony
- Criminal Damage to Property
- Bail Jumping-Felony
- Bail Jumping-Misdemeanor
- Bail Jumping-Misdemeanor
“I’m sure Richard had a guilty conscience. There’s no doubt about that,” said Herman. “You saw that, you heard his own words in the video where he says give me two life sentences. He said that!”
Sotka will be sentenced on May 20. A 1st-Degree Intentional Homicide charge carries a life sentence in Wisconsin. During his sentencing, the judge will determine if he is eligible for parole.
Local 5 News will update this as the case progresses.
