The Amy Dustin case ended with a Wisconsin jury convicting her of first-degree intentional homicide for the 2015 shooting death of her husband, Stanley Van Wagner, in the couple’s Oconomowoc home. Also known as Amy Van Wagner, she was sentenced to life in prison and ruled ineligible to petition for release to extended supervision. She was also convicted of hiding a corpse.
What Happened in the Oconomowoc Home
In May 2015, officers responding to a call at a private residence in Oconomowoc found Stanley Van Wagner dead in the basement. His body was under a tarp. A medical examiner determined he had been shot multiple times in the head and chest, and evidence suggested the body had been in the basement for several days before it was discovered. What had begun as a missing person inquiry became a homicide investigation.
The Evidence Against Amy Dustin
Investigators built the case on a mix of physical and digital findings from inside the home. On the basement floor they recovered three .380 caliber shell casings. A pillow and a small rug carried bloodstains that pointed to a cleanup. A case for a .380 caliber pistol was found, but the gun itself was not.
The household computer supplied the rest. Search history from the days before the shooting included queries about firearms, how to kill, how to muffle the sound of a gunshot, and the biological process of decomposition. Forensic examiners reviewed activity logs to identify which user profile ran the searches. Prosecutors would later use those records as evidence of planning and intent.
The Trial
Prosecutors charged Dustin with first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse. The trial ran about two weeks in state court. Neighbors and acquaintances testified about the couple’s relationship. The state argued a calculated killing, leaning on the timeline and the computer searches. The defense pointed to the missing weapon and raised the possibility of an unidentified intruder. Jurors reviewed photographs of the basement and the recovered shell casings before deliberating.
The Verdict and Sentence
The jury found Dustin guilty on both counts. First-degree intentional homicide is a Class A felony in Wisconsin, which carries a mandatory life sentence.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wis. Stat. § 940.012Wisconsin State Legislature. Wis. Stat. § 939.50 Hiding a corpse is a Class F felony, punishable by up to 12 years and 6 months in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.3Wisconsin State Legislature. Wis. Stat. § 940.11
For a life sentence in Wisconsin, the sentencing judge must decide whether the defendant may ever petition for release to extended supervision.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wis. Stat. § 973.014 The judge ruled that Dustin would not be eligible. She is required to serve her life sentence in full within the state prison system.