Powell sentenced in 2020 fatal shooting
Waupaca County Judge Vicki Clussman sentenced Tiffany Powell, 37, Waupaca, to 10 years in prison.
Powell was convicted of first-degree reckless endangerment with a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm for her role in the fatal shooting of her son, Ryelee Manete-Powell.
He was 18 when he died on the night of Oct. 19, 2020, in Waupaca.
Clussman sentenced Powell to 10 years initial confinement and five years extended supervision on the reckless endangerment charge and five years confinement and three years extended supervision on the weapon’s charge.
The terms are consecutive, so Powell will spend nearly 15 years total in prison.
Clussman also gave her 691 days credit for the time she spent in county jail on a $500,000 cash bail since her arrest in October 2020.
After her release from prison, Powell must meet with her parole agent on the anniversary of Manete-Powell’s fatal shooting and discuss her role and behaviors leading up to his death.
According to the criminal complaint, William Zelenski, 46, Waupaca, called 911 multiple times earlier the day of the shooting to report a burglary at his home the previous week.
He told dispatch that someone stole two handguns, alcohol, a lizard valued at $17,000, a baby python valued at $7,000, a 2-foot crocodile valued at $2,000 and a boa constrictor.
At 10:25 p.m. on Oct. 19, Zelenski called 911 again and said he confronted Manete-Powell about the burglary. He said the teen attacked him and that he shot Manete-Powell.
Powell was with Zelenski at the time of the shooting.
A nearby home had a security doorbell system that recorded some of the altercation.
Zelenski was reportedly holding a double-barreled 12-gauge shotgun, which he handed to Powell.
The video then shows Powell pointing the gun at her son.
Powell then handed the shotgun back to Zelenski, just before witnesses heard shots.
The video does not show the actual shooting.
Zelenski was charged with first-degree intentional homicide.
His case remains unresolved and Zelenski is in custody on a $1 million cash bond.