Schmidt was the second woman killed in a domestic violence incident in four months in the Fox Cities.
APPLETON - Education, awareness and channeling anger into action were the focus of a vigil honoring the recent victim of a domestic violence shooting in Harrison.
More than 40 friends and supporters came together Friday night — exactly one month after her death — to honor Sara Schmidt, who was killed at the hands of her husband, Robert.
"Each of us at Harbor House and I'm sure all of you here are deeply affected by the murder of Sara Schmidt," said Beth Schnorr, executive director of Harbor House Domestic Abuse Programs. "Shock, anger, grief, rage, I'm sure we've all felt the range of emotions because of her loss. Another life. Another life lost to domestic violence."
On Jan. 9, Schmidt was found dead in a car by police responding to a domestic dispute on Sweet Clover Drive in Harrison. She had at least one gunshot wound.
Robert Schmidt was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound a short time later in the backyard of the residence.
The shooting followed a series of violent attacks against Sara Schmidt by Robert Schmidt, resulting in two felony charges for first-degree sexual assault and kidnapping. She had recently filed for divorce as well.
Schmidt was the second woman killed in a domestic violence incident in four months in the Fox Cities. Annie Ford of Appleton was killed in September by her recent romantic partner, Johnny O. Scott.
Domestic violence also contributed to recent shootings in central Wisconsin, including a January shooting in Abbotsford that left two people dead, and the shooting last March of a police officer, two bank employees and a family law attorney in Wausau.
Vigil attendees lit candles as they gathered on World Headquarters in Appleton.
"I hope that they leave with a sense of community," said Katie Huskey, the organizer of the vigil and creator of the Justice for Sara Facebook group. "It's a sense of being able to honor the lives we've lost and recognize that they're not their murder, that there's more to them than that. They were people loved by many."
Pam Seefeldt, a former neighbor of the Schmidts in Darboy, called Sara "a beautiful person."
"She was the most friendly, so happy go lucky and welcoming," Seefeldt said. "Her kids adored her and she adored them."
Heather Lawler, creator of Traja, an organization to help survivors of domestic violence, also called on attendees to not only learn about the signs of domestic violence and how to help, but to channel their emotions into action for victims of domestic violence.
"You can move mountains with that anger," Lawler told the group.
After Schmidt's death, a petition was circulated by Huskey online to limit bond options for perpetrators of domestic violence. The change.org petition asks state leaders to remove judges' ability to set any bond in cases of felony domestic violence and sexual assault.
"We demand change of the laws to keep abusers with charges of a violent nature behind bars until they have their day in court," the petition states. "Not only does the (sic) protect the community, it more importantly protects the brave survivors who come forward to report their abuse."