Left: Sierra Schoonover (Dane County Jail). Right: Heather Schoonover (Gunderson Funeral Home).
A 31-year-old Wisconsin woman admitted to stabbing her own mother to death earlier this year and then leaving her for dead.
On Tuesday, Sierra Schoonover entered a plea of guilty, but not guilty by reason of insanity in the stabbing death of her mother, 54-year-old Heather Schoonover, records show. The plea means she admits to stabbing her mother, but she claims she lacked the mental capacity to realize her actions were wrong.
“Whenever someone enters a not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect plea, it”s coupled with a plea that goes to whether the crime was committed or not, okay, because the not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, goes to whether the person understood the wrongfulness of their acts and could conform their behavior to the requirements of law,” Judge Ellen Berz explained in court on Tuesday, according to Madison ABC affiliate WKOW. “It’s not whether the offense did happen or did not happen.”
Schoonover was facing a first-degree criminal homicide charge. Her next court date is Oct. 23.
Shortly before noon on April 14, neighbors called 911 after seeing the Schoonovers fighting outside their home on Smoky Mountain Road in Blue Mounds, which is about 30 miles west of Madison, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WKOW. The fight moved inside the home before the younger Schoonover ran out and drove away a short time later.
Deputies with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office entered the home, where they found Heather Schoonover dead in the bathroom from multiple stab wounds. Cops found a knife nearby.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
Not long after, Sierra Schoonover crashed her car a few miles away. She was naked, had a frothy substance on her mouth and dried blood on her hand, the affidavit said. Once at the hospital, she reportedly told deputies “I’m concerned my mom might be hurt, and so I think the ambulance should be sent for her.”
Cops asked her why she thought her mom may be in need of help.
“I stabbed her,” she reportedly responded.
A couple days later, she requested to speak to deputies again. She said she knew why they were there and needed to get something off her chest.
“I do know I killed my mom,” she reportedly said. “I remember everything that happened.”
Sierra Schoonover also said she had a history of anxiety and depression, but she had stopped taking her medicine.
The defendant was taken to jail, where she has been ever since.
Heather Schoonover’s obituary said those who knew her would describe her as “the nicest person they have ever met.”
“Heather always had projects going on at the house; she had many bins dedicated to crafting supplies as well as a woodworking set-up in the garage, with which she made many gifts for her loved ones,” the obituary said.
