Arrest Made in 2024 Martin Street Homicide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2025 Sun Prairie, WI – On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the Sun Prairie Police Department arrested
Zachary O’Connell, age 22, of the Town of Bristol, in connection with a homicide that occurred
on Friday, October 18, 2024, near the intersection of Martin Street and Elm Street in the City of
Sun Prairie.

O’Connell was taken into custody with the assistance of the Dane County Sheriff’s Office
Tactical Response Team during the execution of a search warrant at a residence in the Town of
Bristol. Following his arrest, O’Connell was transported to and booked into the Dane County
Jail.

Based on the investigation conducted by the Sun Prairie Police Department, the following
charges are being referred to the Dane County District Attorney’s Office:

• First Degree Intentional Homicide
• First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety (2 Counts)

This arrest marks a significant step forward in the investigation, which has remained active
since the incident occurred in October 2024.

The Sun Prairie Police Department would like to thank the following agencies for their
assistance and collaboration throughout this investigation:

• Dane County Sheriff’s Office
• Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation
• University of Wisconsin–Madison Police Department
• Fitchburg Police Department
• Middleton Police Department
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Monona Police Department
• Madison Police Department

The previous press releases related to this incident are attached.

Media Contact:
Lt. Ray Thomson
Sun Prairie Police Department
rthomson@cityofsunprairie.com
(608) 513-8506