Bobbie Lou Schoeffling was 31 when she was found fatally shot in her Milwaukee, Wisconsin, home on July 26, 2022. In the months before her death she reported escalating domestic violence by her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Howell, and repeatedly sought help from the Milwaukee Police Department, saying she feared he would kill her. Two weeks before she was killed she went to a police station after another alleged assault; security footage showed her distressed and saying she had been there many times and nothing ever happens. A warrant for Howell on a probation violation existed but he remained at large at that time.

Howell was arrested after Schoeffling’s body was discovered and charged with offenses including first-degree reckless homicide, stalking, and felony victim intimidation. In early 2023 a jury found Howell guilty of first-degree intentional homicide and he was sentenced to life in prison for her murder. The case prompted an internal review by the Milwaukee Police Department and action regarding officer conduct, and it spurred a review by the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission that produced recommendations aimed at improving the system response to domestic violence.

Did anyone who knew Bobbie notice warning signs or try to report her situation before July 26, 2022?