Attorneys for murder suspect receive extension

Kivi, of Trevor, already imprisoned on unrelated charges

By Jason Arndt
Editor

Nathan Kivi

The attorneys for Nathan Kivi, accused of a double homicide in Twin Lakes last year, will receive more time to review statements related to his case.

In a May 3 judicial pre-trial before Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge David Bastianelli, according to online court records, attorneys Kristyne Watson and James Fields-Bowers could look at filing motions leading up to his next court appearance.

Kivi, already incarcerated for 13 1/2 years after his March 1 probation revocation hearing, will make his final pretrial appearance Aug. 9.

Meanwhile, his attorneys have until July 16 to file motions related to his homicide case.

Kivi, of Trevor, allegedly killed two brothers outside the Beach Bar in the Village of Twin Lakes on Nov. 24. He was on extended supervision at the time of the shootings.

He pleaded not guilty at a Feb. 1 arraignment.

Kivi, according to the criminal complaint, is charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide with use of a dangerous weapon, two counts of felony bail jumping as a repeater and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

The repeater charges, the complaint states, were related to a 2012 felony burglary conviction in Kenosha County Circuit Court and an outstanding strangulation and suffocation charge in Walworth County.

According to the criminal complaint, Kivi allegedly told investigators he was drunk when the shooting happened about 2 a.m. at the Beach Bar, 402 S. Lake St.

“A drunk idiot in the bar started stuff and (Kivi’s friend) got lippy,” he allegedly told a Twin Lakes police detective after his arrest.

“Get me drunk and it’s ugly,” Kivi allegedly said later in the interview.

With Kivi already angry, according to the complaint, the argument moved outside, where someone threw a beer bottle that struck and broke the back window of his pickup truck.

A passenger in his truck told officers Kivi then reached for a gun in the center console of the vehicle and allegedly fired a warning shot in the air, according to the criminal complaint.

As Kivi fired the gun, the passenger fled from the scene to avoid getting struck and retreated to the Tan Oaks apartment complex, where Kivi’s night of drinking allegedly started, according to the complaint.

The complaint alleges Kivi fired six shots, four of which struck Richard Samuel and the other two striking Kenneth, according to the Kenosha County Medical Examiner.

A witness, who tried to revive Richard Samuel with CPR, told investigators at the scene Kivi fled in his truck.

After investigators learned Kivi fled, a detective obtained the number of his cellphone, which eventually was tracked heading northbound on Interstate 94 near Tomah in Monroe County.

Upon his arrest by the Wisconsin State Patrol, Kivi allegedly admitted to committing the shooting, telling troopers they “had the right person, that he did it and he would cooperate,” the complaint contends.

Inside Kivi’s vehicle, investigators allegedly recovered a black 9-millimeter Ruger, along with 125 rounds of 9 mm ammunition and a fully loaded magazine.

Meanwhile, following Kivi’s arrest, his probation agent sought to revoke his extended supervision.

‘Inability to learn’
His extended supervision stemmed from burglary convictions starting in 2012, when he was sentenced to two years in the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

Since then, according to his parole agent, Kivi continually failed to meet conditions of his probation, which led the agent’s decision to revoke his probation.

According to his parole agent, who addressed a letter to Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Jodi Meier, Kivi also showed unwillingness to learn from past mistakes.

“The offender’s inability to learn from his past criminal behavior and utilize the tools he has gained from previous periods of programming demonstrates his failure to be successful on supervision,” a portion of the document attached to the letter states.

On March 1, Meier handed Kivi a 13 ½ year sentence.


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