Benjamin Sebena pleads guilty in murder of wife, Jennifer

WAUWATOSA (WITI) -- Benjamin Sebena, the man accused of gunning down his wife, Wauwatosa Police Officer Jennifer Sebena in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve, 2012 has reached a plea deal in his case.

In court on Wednesday, June 26th, Sebena pleaded GUILTY in the murder of his wife.

Sebena is accused of shooting his wife several times in the face as she left the Wauwatosa Fire Department while on duty early Christmas Eve morning.

Sebena was last in court on June 21st, as his attorney fought the issue of whether the "not guilty by reason of insanity or mental defect" plea would hold up in court.

After a court appointed doctor’s mental health report found Sebena was NOT suffering from mental disease or defect, Sebena’s defense team retained it’s own doctor for a second opinion.

During this court hearing, it was revealed that the second doctor’s findings showed similar results.

The two psychiatrists who examined Sebena say plenty of other mental health issues plague him as an Iraq war veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder.

However, both of those doctors agreed there is nothing that would support an insanity plea in the shooting of Jennifer Sebena.

In return for a guilty plea, the prosecutor in this case will recommend 30-year-old Benjamin Sebena be eligible for parole in 50-60 years.

Sentencing for Benjamin Sebena is set for August 9th.

The Wauwatosa Police Department released the following statement after learning of Sebena's plea deal:

"Wauwatosa police are pleased that Jennifer's family, and by extension, her friends and family here, will be spared the difficulty of a trial.  The Chief, on behalf of the department, will not comment further until after sentencing, which is currently scheduled for August 9, 2013."


Meanwhile, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office said it has been working with Jennifer Sebena's family, and they support the plea deal avoiding a trial.

"Certainly, the heartache of the victim's family to have to endure watching this process unfold in the courtroom -- we don't have to go through tha,t and certainly there are other expenses in a trial, but first and foremost it's saving the victim's family from watching a trial unfold like this," Chief Deputy District Attorney Kent Lovern said.