Criminal Charges Filed In Brittany Zimmermann Murder

Criminal charges were filed today in the murder of Brittany Zimmermann. David A. Kahl, a 53 year-old male, has been charged in Dane County Circuit Court with First Degree Intentional Homicide (as party to a crime and by use of a dangerous weapon).

Brittany was killed on April 2, 2008 in her downtown Madison apartment. A Marshfield (WI) native, Brittany was a 21 year-old UW-Madison student majoring in Medical Microbiology and Immunology. She lived with her fiancée and their three cats in the 500 block of West Doty Street.

Brittany’s killing shook the Madison community and devastated her family, friends and hometown.

It has been almost 12 years since Brittany’s death. During that time, MPD never gave up on her case, tirelessly pursuing justice for Brittany and her family. Investigators have conducted hundreds of interviews, processed countless pieces of evidence, and produced thousands of pages of reports. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office and Wisconsin State Crime Lab have also been instrumental in the investigation. The dedication and persistence of those tasked with investigating this case – past and present – has never wavered.

Brittany’s parents, Kevin and Jean, have remained heavily invested in the investigation, and communicated regularly with investigators, MPD leadership, and representatives of the District Attorney’s Office over the years. A statement from Kevin and Jean:

“It is with mixed emotions that we write this statement today. First and foremost, we are grateful to the Madison Police Department and the Dane County District Attorney’s Office for not giving up on this investigation. It has been almost 12 years since we lost our beautiful daughter, Brittany, and we could not have gone through this without the love and support of our family and friends. To all of them, we are eternally grateful. Having charges filed is just the beginning of justice for Brittany, which is what we have wanted from the start of this horrible tragedy. Nothing will bring our beautiful daughter back and we continue to feel that pain every day. Therefore, while we have appreciated all the community support throughout the past 12 years, we are respectfully asking for privacy during this difficult time. Thank you.”

Kahl is incarcerated in the Wisconsin Prison System for unrelated charges and will be transported to Dane County in the future. The criminal complaint will detail the case against Kahl.

Each year, Marshfield Area Pet Shelter (MAPS) hosts a fundraiser to honor Brittany. That event is tentatively scheduled for May 9, pending COVID-19 updates.