Breanna Schneller Wiki, Biography
The murder of 18-year-old Breanna Schneller in Wausau, Wisconsin shocked everyone at how brutal the murder was. Schneller was stabbed multiple times in various parts of her body. She was found dead in a pool of blood when her roommate came home from work.
Later, Raúl Ponce-Rocha, a co-worker of Schneller’s boyfriend, was found guilty of the crime.
The latest episode of Investigation Discovery titled Murder in the Heartland is set to uncover shocking details of this gruesome murder mystery. The episode, which will air on January 9, 2023 at 7 p.m. m., is part of his Deviant Deeds series.
The synopsis for the episode reads:
“Hugo is in hysterics after finding his brother’s girlfriend, Breanna Schneller, beaten and stabbed to death; the brothers seem devastated, but the discovery of Breanna’s missing phone casts doubt on her alibis.”
How was Breanna Schneller murdered?
Breanna was an 18-year-old girl who was only a month away from graduating when she was murdered. Raúl Ponce-Rocha broke into her apartment and stabbed her multiple times in her chest, neck, and torso, killing her.
However, what shocked the investigators more than the crime was the motive behind it.
Raúl, who worked at the same restaurant as Breanna’s fiancé Sebastián Ramírez, broke into her apartment to steal her underwear. However, what Raúl did not know was that Breanna was also home at the time, and when he noticed her, Raúl decided to kill the 18-year-old with an old iron shaft. Breanna’s murder was not part of Raul Ponce-Rocha’s plan.
How was her body discovered?
Breanna, her fiancé Sebastian, and her brother Hugo lived in the same apartment in Wausau, Wisconsin. At the time of her murder, both Hugo and Sebastian were at the restaurant where they worked. However, when Hugo returned from the restaurant in the evening, he found Schneller dead and lying in a pool of her own blood.
Investigation
One of the first things investigators noticed upon arriving at the crime scene was that Schneller’s cell phone was missing. This came as a surprise to his family because she was known to carry her phone with her at all times.
However, this was a major break in the investigation, as it helped investigators find the location of the phone and lead them to the perpetrator. Investigators traced her phone to the dumpster behind El Tequila Salsa, where Hugo, Sebastián and Raúl worked, along with two mismatched gloves.
Subsequent investigations led investigators to Raúl Ponce-Rocha. He seemed to have disappeared from the restaurant at the same time that Breanna was killed. Under questioning, he revealed that he had gone to pick up a co-worker who lived in the same area as Schneller.
Ponce-Rocha did not notice his absence for another 20 minutes.
The arrest
Armed with evidence, police arrested Ponce-Rocha, who pleaded not guilty and tried to blame another coworker, who had a strong alibi. The coworker had been in Mexico at the time of the murder.
The gun used to kill Breanna and the gloves recovered from the dumpster had traces of Ponce-Rocha’s DNA. This was enough evidence to narrow it down to him.
Ponce-Rocha was found guilty of first degree intentional manslaughter, robbery with a dangerous weapon and larceny. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Raúl is currently serving his sentence at the Waupun Correctional Institution in Waupun, Wisconsin.
