(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. — Just hours after making her initial appearance in court and being handed a $500,000 cash bond, Roxanna Vanderzee-Collins walked free from the Kenosha County Jail Monday evening.
According to jail records, Vanderzee-Collins posted the full cash amount at 6:49 p.m. and was released from custody shortly thereafter.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Vanderzee-Collins, 70, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime in the 2003 murder of her then-husband, David Vanderzee. Prosecutors allege she and her lover, co-defendant John Viskocil, conspired to carry out the execution-style killing just weeks into her marriage.
The criminal complaint paints a chilling picture: five gunshots to the head, a secret affair, and a possible escape by boat across Powers Lake. After years of investigative dead ends and refusals to prosecute by prior administrations, District Attorney Xavier Solis filed charges last week and called the case one of several violent crimes that had been “ignored or left to collect dust.”
Earlier in the day, Commissioner William Michel II imposed the half-million-dollar bond despite prosecutors asking for $1 million, citing the seriousness of the charge and Vanderzee-Collins’s lack of ties to the area.
Now, her release has stirred unease among residents familiar with the long-dormant case.
“She’s been free for 21 years,” one local resident told Kenosha County Eye. “And now, even after being charged with murder, she’s out again. It doesn’t feel like justice.”
Vanderzee-Collins is under a court order not to have contact with Viskocil or any members of David Vanderzee’s family. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 13.
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21 Responses
Wow… If she can come up with that kind of money , she will probably flee. She has nothing to lose!
She may have just signed over her house to a bail bondsman as collateral. Just because she made bail doesn’t mean she showed up with pillow cases full of $100s.
She may well have signed over her house to a bail bondsman: however, many people have liquid assets of that amount today. This black widow likely got a her victim’s money and/or a life insurance payout then invested well.
Where would she go and hide? She’s an old, broken down ugly hag that likely speaks only English. Even with bail, if she has a passport, she likely had to surrender it until found Not Guilty.
Wisconsin doesn’t have bail bondsmen so that’s not possible. She has cash or card here
No but it was unexpected
A relative paid her bond.
Cept 50 lbs.
Yes, she will flee
Who picked Michel for Commissioner?? He is going to get someone killed with bonds
Judge Kerkman picked the commissioner. He is the chief judge.
The judges as a group select the full-time commissioners. Otherwise, each judge is allowed two “supplemental” fill-in commissioners who are technically supervised by the appointing judge and have to pass an annual evaluation.
Jason Rossell was chief judge when he was hired. All the judges interview and vote for fulltime commissioners.
$500,000 is on the lower end of a bond for this type of case. Had she not been on the lam for 21 years, maybe it would be appropriate.
But the primary purpose of bond is to ensure that someone will appear in court. If she doesn’t, whoever posted it will be out $500K. Wonder if she did it herself or someone else was the surety.
Ok, yes it’s a low bond, but let’s be real, are any of us in danger? I’ll take my chances on this one.
Just send her back to Mchenry. That’s enough of a punishment.
Does the gentleman in the far left of the board member’s picture have a cigarette in his mouth? Just asking because as a former smoker, I was banished from any and every public space. Just curious. The actions of this board are despicable and they should be sued and charged for rhe wetland issue.
wrong article…
She hopped in her car and made a bee line to The Golden Corral. 🐷
How does this cat lady have $500k CASH? She get a life insurance payout when she allegedly killed her husband?
The prosecution requested a bond of one million dollars. However, the commissioner, as is often the case, appeared to be out of touch with the current circumstances and set the bond at $500,000. He was subsequently reprimanded for this decision. We need the return of someone like Commissioner Mason.
Nobody reprimanded him.