Wis. Teen Faces Life In Killing Of Man She Says Trafficked Her

KENOSHA, WI — A 19-year-old Wisconsin woman could face the rest of her life in prison after authorities say she killed a man she claims was trafficking her for sex.

An attorney representing the woman, identified as Chrystul Kizer, says she should be protected by an "affirmative defense" — a law that protects sex trafficking victims in certain types of crimes.

On Dec. 9, Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge David Wilk said an affirmative defense doesn't fully apply to her case. “The court,” Wilk said, “is satisfied that a blanket affirmative defense to all acts leads to an absurd result," according to reports.

According to court records in Kenosha County, Kizer has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide — use of a dangerous weapon, taking a vehicle without consent, arson, bail jumping and possession of a firearm as a felon.

If she is convicted, Kizer faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. She is currently being held in the Kenosha County Jail on a $1 million bail. Her jury trial is set for March 2020.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Kenosha County, Kizer shot and killed Randall Volar in his Kenosha home in June 2018. She then set his house on fire and fled in his car, prosecutors say.

Volar was never charged with the sex trafficking that Kizer is now bringing up in court. One report says investigators in Kenosha found his burnt body on the same day they were going to charge him with child sex crimes.

Investigators say Kizer first met Volar when she was 14 years old. Kizer told investigators that Volar would pay her to have sex with him. It wasn't much later that Volar was making her have sex with other men, her attorney claims. Investigators say Volar tried to rape Kizer when she was 16 and sexually abused her several times.

According to a Washington Post report, the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office says Kizer planned the murder in order to steal Volar's BMW.

According to the criminal complaint, a Kenosha police detective monitored Kizer’s Facebook page after the incident and saw that she posted a live video on her page in which she displayed what appeared to be a handgun and pistol ammunition.

The detective reported hearing Kizer say that she would give her brother the BMW and saying she "wasn’t afraid to kill again, and making references to a rich white individual," the criminal complaint stated.

According to the complaint, investigators also saw that Kizer's Facebook page had also shared a news article about the fire at Volar’s home.

Mother Shocked

Devore Taylor is Chrystul Kizer's mother. She is now watching her daughter go before court officials to decide whether she will spend the rest of her life behind bars. Devore Taylor says a person her daughter's age was capable of being manipulated by an adult.

"The fact that my baby listened to this man because he was an adult horrifies me," she wrote on a GoFundMe page. "I want any and everyone that is following this case to educate yourselves and your daughter's about the dangers of sex trafficking … how they manipulate young minds. Remember anyone can become a victim, male or female."

Devore Taylor is now raising money in order to help her daughter, who now awaits her trial.

"My daughter, Chrystul Kizer, is currently incarcerated for defending herself ... Chrystul is now being charged with first degree murder and awaiting trial that is expected to start in March 2020," she said in a GoFundMe post she authored. "Living inside Kenosha County Jail, any jail really, is very expensive. I have to pay for visits and phone calls. Also the daily basic needs of hygiene and food as well as simple pleasures such as reading and writing material is expensive. I am asking for help with room, board and transportation once trial starts."

#freeChrystul Goes Viral

As of Friday, more than 25,000 people had signed an online petition to support dropping all charges against Kizer.

"Right now Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley has the power to drop all charges against Chrystul immediately," the petition states on Change.org. "We are urging Graveley to do the right thing and drop all charges now so that instead of enduring more violence, Chrystul's healing can being with her family and community."

That petition can be found here: Drop All Charges Against Incarcerated Trafficking Survivor Chrystul Kizer!