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Man pleads not guilty in bodies-in-suitcases case

By WTOP Staff

M.L. JOHNSON
Associated Press

ELKHORN, Wis. (AP) — A former police officer suspected in the deaths of two women pleaded not guilty Thursday to trying to hide their bodies in suitcases dumped along a rural road, while the man’s attorney said he expected more charges to come first in a neighboring Wisconsin county.

The plea was entered for Steven Zelich, 52, during a brief hearing in Walworth County, where highway workers cutting grass found the suitcases on June 5. He appeared by video from the county Jail.

Zelich’s attorney, Travis Schwantes, has said the charges might not hold up because prosecutors need to show the former West Allis officer was trying to conceal a crime. Zelich claims he killed the two women accidentally during sexual encounters that involved bondage, a detective has testified.

Walworth County District Attorney Daniel Necci questioned Schwantes’ interpretation of the law on Thursday but did not go into details, saying “that’s an argument we can have down the road.”

Schwantes said later that it would be hard for Necci to prove Zelich meant to kill the women since Zelich was the only person alive who knew what happened in the hotel rooms in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, and Rochester, Minnesota. He also said Zelich had other bondage sessions with other women that did not end in death.

“I think it will become clear, without a doubt, that he interacted, dated, had relationships with more than just the two women in this case,” Schwantes said. He declined to go into detail but said Zelich had multiple relationships in person and online, some of which involved bondage and some of which didn’t.

Zelich told investigators he killed the women he met online by accident during bondage sex, packed their bodies in suitcases and hid them for months in his home and car until they began to smell, Walworth County Sheriff’s Detective Jeffrey Recknagel testified previously.

Both Schwantes and Necci have said they expect additional charges to be filed in the counties where Jenny Gamez, a 19-year-old college student from Cottage Grove, Oregon, and 37-year-old Laura Simonson, of Farmington, Minnesota, died.

Schwantes said he expects charges to come first in Kenosha County, where Zelich told investigators he killed Gamez in 2012. A prosecutor in that county did not respond Thursday to an inquiry from The Associated Press on the status of the case.

Zelich also has a public defender in Olmsted County, Minnesota, where Simonson died in November at a Rochester hotel.

Chief Deputy Olmsted County Attorney Jim Martinson said no charges were imminent as he was still waiting for police reports and would need time to examine the case file once he received it. Schwantes said Zelich asked for and was assigned a public defender there.

Zelich had resigned from the West Allis Police Department in August 2001 after an internal investigation determined he stalked women while on duty and had used his position to get personal information, including their home phone numbers. Records released by the department showed several women told investigators they feared for their safety or that of their children.

The resignation allowed Zelich to avoid charges being filed with the city’s Police and Fire Commission and later pass criminal background checks and obtain a private security license from the state. He was working as a security officer when he was arrested June 25.

Schwantes said Thursday he had just received those records along with others piled 3 feet high. He noted that the investigation was 13 years ago and no criminal charges, civil lawsuit or restraining orders were filed as a result.

“I don’t mean to minimize anything in those records,” he added, “other than to say there were glimpses of Mr. Zelich’s view in those records.”

___

Associated Press writer Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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