Beaver Dam man gets life sentence for brutal slaying of ex-wife, DeKalb County prosecutor Stacia Hollinshead

JUNEAU, Wisc. — A 33-year-old Beaver Dam man was sentenced to life in prison this week for the March 2019 shooting death of his ex-wife, Stacia Hollinshead, a DeKalb County prosecutor who he shot 15 times in the head and back in front of their 5-year-old daughter at his parent’s home in Beaver Dam.

Ulisses Medina Espinosa was found guilty of first degree intentional homicide Dec. 15 for killing Stacia Hollinshead of Sycamore, who worked as a budding prosecutor in the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Sciascia sentenced Espinosa to life in prison without release, according to a report from the Beaver Dam Daily Citizen.

“There is nothing I can do to restore the damage that was done to you or the communities involved,” Sciascia said. “You came here for justice and I doubt what I come up with as a sentence will give you a feeling of justice.”

Dodge County District Attorney Kurt Klomberg said the defense could not ask for less than 30 years, and he was asking for 50 years in prison.

Espinosa looked away during most of the day-long sentencing hearing including while both his family and Hollinshead’s family spoke about the Espinosa looked away during most of the day-long sentencing hearing including while both his family and Hollinshead’s family spoke about the loss. DeKalb County State’s Attorney Rick Amato also testified during the hearing.

Espinosa said he loves his daughter and remembers doing things with her including going to the zoo, creating art and eating ice cream while walking down the block.

“I am not a bad person,” Medina Espinosa said. “My mind was poisoned. And I give my condolences to my family, which include Ann and John, the Hollinsheads, that what happened in March was never my intentions.”

Espinosa said he wished things had happened differently that day.

“If the family ever want to speak to me they are welcome,” Espinosa said. “I love them as a family and ask for forgiveness, and I am sorry that my mind was poisoned. That is not what I wanted.”

Medina Espinosa was charged in March 2019 with the shooting death of Hollinshead, who worked as an assistant state’s attorney in the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s office. He was placed in custody with a $2 million bond. Hollinshead had sought legal protection against him prior to her death, according to DeKalb County court records.

The shooting took place at a Third Street residence in Beaver Dam when Hollinshead, 30, an 11-year Army veteran and a Northern Illinois University law school graduate, had driven to Wisconsin that day with her 5-year-old daughter so that the girl could visit her grandparents – Medina Espinosa’s parents. Hollinshead was shot 15 times while the girl was in a nearby room after Medina Espinosa entered the home. After the shooting, court records show Medina Espinosa knelt by his daughter and told her “the judge won’t hurt us anymore.”

Hollinshead was a native of Effingham, Illinois. She graduated from Northern Illinois University College of Law in May 2018 after being a U.S. Army intelligence analyst for 11 years. Hollinshead had filed for divorce from Medina Espinosa in 2016 and filed for a protective order against him the same year.

Dodge County District Attorney Kurt Klomberg said that the girl must have been happy to see her father on the sunny afternoon on March 23, 2019. However the day’s events quickly became something that will torment the girl for the rest of her life.

This is a developing story which will be updated.

Daily Chronicle editor Kelsey Rettke contributed to this report.