GREEN BAY, WIS. – A Wisconsin man who strangled his cellmate and was convicted of a hate crime has been denied a request for supervised release following his sentencing.
Jackson Vogel, 25, had already been serving a 20-year prison sentence at Green Bay Correctional Institution for the attempted murder of his mother, a crime he committed when he was 16 years old. In 2023, Vogel was assigned a new cellmate, Micah Laureano, a 19-year-old serving a three-year sentence for assault and vehicle theft. Less than a day after Laureano arrived, Vogel killed him.
The Murder
According to court records, Vogel murdered Laureano just hours after they were placed together in the same cell. Investigators stated that after the murder, Vogel was found smiling and explained that he killed Laureano because he was “bored” and because Laureano was Black. Vogel also believed Laureano was gay and stated that his victim “checked all the boxes” for his hatred. Vogel later claimed that he used a clothesline to garrote Laureano, squeezing the life out of him.
During the trial, Vogel was the only witness presented by his defense. Despite his lack of remorse, Vogel spoke on his own behalf during sentencing, saying that while he may not understand emotions such as remorse, he regretted his actions. He asked the court to consider the possibility of supervised release in the future, claiming, “I am sorry.”
Judge’s Response
Judge Donald Zuidmulder, of Brown County Circuit Court, was not swayed by Vogel’s request for supervised release. Addressing Vogel directly, the judge said, “You set in motion all the things that bring us here today.”
Zuidmulder also referenced a chilling note that Vogel wrote and presented as evidence during the trial. The note, which included graphic slurs and instructions to kill Black and gay people, was described by the judge as deeply disturbing. He called Vogel’s actions and demeanor after the murder “frightening,” noting that Vogel seemed excited about what he had done.
Life Sentence
In Wisconsin, a first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory life sentence. While a judge can decide whether a convicted person may be eligible for supervised release, Zuidmulder made it clear that he did not believe Vogel showed any signs of rehabilitation. The judge described Vogel as a “killing machine” and stated that after eight years in the prison system, there was no change in his behavior. Zuidmulder expressed no belief that Vogel would ever change.
Vogel’s request for supervised release was firmly rejected, with the judge emphasizing the severity of his crime and his continued lack of remorse. Vogel’s life sentence will stand, with no expectation of change in his behavior.
