The 48 Hours episode “The Soldier’s Wife” investigates the 2014 death of 19-year-old Tarrah Danielle nee Rippeon Nemetz. She was shot dead in the back of the head by her 20-year-old Army soldier husband Skylar Nemetz in their Lakewood, Washington apartment. (The young couple “loved to shoot their guns.” Skylar had bought Danielle a rifle which she decorated.) It was their neighbors who called 911 after hearing “the bang”. When Skylar was handcuffed and put in the back of a squad car, video captured him saying, “I’m a bad person. I’m a bad person!” and “I love my wife so much. I’m innocent. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody!” He and his family say it was a terrible accident. But due to his expert knowledge and experience with firearms, prosecutors didn’t believe it was an accident and charged him with first degree murder. In 2016, Skylar Nemetz was found guilty of first degree manslaughter and given the maximum sentence of 13 and a half years in prison.
During the trial, Danielle’s younger sister Mikala Rippeon-Boulton was very emotional. She said Danielle was like a mother to her. Their mother died when Danielle was 2 years old, and they were raised by their grandmother Scarlett Rippeon. When their grandmother died, their stepfather Michael Boulton adopted them. For the trial, Mikala dyed her hair purple, Danielle’s favorite color, in her honor (see below). 48 Hours airs Saturdays at 10pm on CBS.
The purple hair was in honor of Danielle. Sister left courtroom and is sobbing hallway. #komonews pic.twitter.com/w0Srkpd18l
— Keith Eldridge (@KeithKOMO4) March 25, 2016
Now she’s overcome with grief as judge describes the shooting in the back of the head. #komonews pic.twitter.com/uAN0WBtYKX
— Keith Eldridge (@KeithKOMO4) March 25, 2016
