“I’m going to kill you;” 18-year-old boy died after his 19-year-old cousin he shared a home with stabbed him to death just because he refused to help her get a job at his workplace
Wisconsin – In a tragic and shocking case out of Wisconsin, a 19‑year‑old woman, identified as R. Hall, is charged after stabbing her 18‑year‑old cousin, identified as J. Wright, to death during a heated argument over a job. The victim, Wright, died after suffering a stab wound to the neck. The alleged assailant, Hall, reportedly had been pressing Wright to help her secure work at the resturant where he was employed. Her refusal to his refusal escalated into a deadly confrontation.
Hall is facing charges of reckless homicide, domestic abuse, and use of a deadly weapon following Wright’s death. According to local reports and the criminal complaint, Hall remains in custody on a $100,000 bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for October 14. If convicted, she could face up to 60 years in prison for the Class B felony, plus an additional 5 years for the weapons enhancement. While Hall does admit to stabbing Wright, she claims she did not intend to kill him, saying she acted out of fear. The legal question before prosecutors and jurors will be whether her actions crossed the line into culpable homicide.
According to the criminal complaint, the fatal incident occurred on September 29 in the duplex that the cousins shared with family and Wright’s girlfriend. Tensions had reportedly been building earlier in the day, when Hall was upset that Wright refused to assist her in getting a job at his workplace. The two had lived together, and Wright worked at the fast food restaurant, making him a natural contact for Hall’s employment hopes. On the afternoon in question, Hall placed a 911 call to report that Wright was furious after she “spit on him” and that he “ran up and hit her.” She admitted to stabbing him, but claimed self-defense. Police arrived to find Wright outside, bleeding heavily from a neck wound. Despite immediate attempts to provide medical aid, Wright was pronounced dead at the scene.
The complaint indicates that Hall and Wright had earlier sprayed Wright with pepper spray, then separated temporarily. Hall, the documents say, later reentered the shared housing and confronted Wright in her bedroom. That confrontation is said to have escalated: according to witnesses, Hall first punched Wright, then brandished a knife. Wright’s girlfriend, Z. Brown, told investigators she heard Hall shout, “I’m going to stab you, I’m going to kill you,” all while laughing. Brown says Hall swung her fists at Wright, and moments later blood had spattered the bedroom walls. Brown also recounted past episodes of Hall making threats — but this time, the violence turned fatal.
Following her arrest, Hall was formally booked on the charges listed above. Authorities have emphasized the severity of both the homicide and the weapon use, noting that the additional weapon enhancement could add years to any potential sentence. She remains in detention, held on her bond, and will next appear in court in mid-October. For Wright’s family and those who knew him, this case is a devastating loss born from something tragically avoidable — an argument over a job turned into a violent, life-ending act. As the judicial process moves forward, the court will evaluate whether Hall’s claims of fear and self-defense can stand against witness testimony and physical evidence. The coming days will determine whether justice can bring any semblance of closure to a young life cut short.
