NEWS
Landlord to let victim’s fiancé out of fall lease
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Also by Cara Harshman:
- Landlord to let victim's fiancé out of fall lease (April 15, 2008)
- City receives boost for Allied redevelopment (April 15, 2008)
- Zimmermann, Marino detectives working together on cases (April 14, 2008)
- 911 call reports junior was shot (April 10, 2008)
- UW student's killer forced way into home, police say (April 11, 2008)
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- Landlord may hold tenant to lease after fiancée's murder at residence (April 14, 2008)
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- Leaders assure city of safety (April 7, 2008)
- Students pay respect to homicide victim (April 7, 2008)
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by Cara Harshman
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The University of Wisconsin student who found his fiancée slain in their West Doty Street apartment was released from his lease, a management company announced Monday.
The Wisconsin Management Company relieved Jordan Gonnering and Brittany Zimmermann’s estate of the remaining 16 months on the lease at 517 W. Doty St.
Gonnering lived in the apartment with Zimmermann, a 21-year-old UW junior who was killed in the apartment April 2. Police are actively seeking information from everyone who was in the area the day of and before Zimmermann’s death but have no suspects in the case.
Russ Endres, president of Wisconsin Management, declined to tell the Wisconsin State Journal last week whether the company would let Gonnering out of the lease.
“We felt it inappropriate, one week after the incident, to discuss particulars of the lease situation until we had spoken to the families,” Endres said in a statement. “After discussing what the family wanted, we have decided to release all parties from any lease obligations.”
City Council President Mike Verveer, District 4, was one of the city alders working to intervene on Gonnering’s behalf.
“I think it’s unfortunate [Wisconsin Management] put Jordan through all the agony and worrying about his lease for the past several days,” Verveer said. “I’m relieved Wisconsin Property Management finally did the right thing.”
The Student Tenant Union’s rent boycott for Wisconsin Management student renters was short-lived, as the management company announced the contract release about the same time the Tenant Union sent out its boycott information.
UW senior Joe Lindstrom said it is very fortunate that what the student organization hoped for occurred.
“We hope other landlords see that when they are unreasonably greedy, there is a heavy price to pay in public image,” Lindstrom said. “Wisconsin Management Company, after a lot of urging from the community, finally did the right thing.”
According to Ald. Brenda Konkel, District 2, when a person dies, his or her estate is still responsible for paying rent until a new tenant moves in. Zimmermann’s estate will be relieved of the lease.
