The Wisconsin Department of Justice announced that Philip G. Schmidt-Way, 29, of Loveland, Colo., was sentenced to life with the ability to petition for extended supervision after 20 years for the murder of his grandmother in Dodgeville, Wis. on July 19, 2021.
In his proceeding, the sentencing court described Aric Way as the mastermind, as stated by Attorney General Josh Kaul, "With this sentencing, we now know that both of the defendants involved in this extensively planned and despicable homicide will be behind bars for a long time."
The victim was found deceased in her Dodgeville, Wis., home on July 19, 2021. An autopsy determined carbon monoxide poisoning to be a contributing factor to the cause of death. The victim had recently agreed to sell the family farm which Mr. Schmidt-Way would have inherited upon the victim’s death. The evidence at trial showed that there were no obvious sources to explain elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the home. Mr. Way purchased products known to react together to create carbon monoxide.
Evidence presented during the trial included Mr. Schmidt-Way’s phone record data placing his phone in the same area as Mr. Way’s Google data during the purchase of a product on July 17, 2021. Data from Mr. Schmidt-Way’s phone also confirmed his presence in Wisconsin on July 16, 2021, after leaving Colorado on July 15, 2021. Furthermore, Mr. Schmidt-Way’s vehicle was captured on camera at the victim’s home on the night of her death.
The case was a result of an investigation by various agencies, including the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office and DCI, with assistance from multiple organizations. Victim services were provided by the Iowa County District Attorney’s Office, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Nathaniel Adamson and Edward Minser with assistance from paralegal Jackie Righter.