Mother of Sparta domestic violence victim says police knew daughter was in danger

80 people in the state of Wisconsin lost their lives to domestic violence in 2021, according to a new report.

RICHLAND CENTER (WKBT) —On May 10, Sparta police discovered the body of 32-year-old Sara Latimer in an apartment on Jefferson Avenue. Latimer’s boyfriend, 32-year-old Shawn Hock, beat her to death, according to authorities.

Nikki Latimer, mother of the late Sara Latimer, said she went to law enforcement for years because she was concerned about her daughter’s safety.

“This was 2 years of me asking for help,” she said.

According to a criminal complaint, “numerous prior calls for service” were made to the residence of Latimer and her then-boyfriend, 32-year-old Hock.

Hock had a history of domestic abuse and had been convicted on April 13 for a previous incident involving Latimer in March 2021.

On Monday, Nikki Latimer alleged that an officer with the Sparta Police Department suspected that Hock was going to kill her daughter before the incident actually happened.

We’ve reached out to the Sparta Police Department for comment.

Hock is accused of killing Latimer and he remains behind bars. He could face life in prison if convicted of first-degree intentional homicide.

On Monday, Latimer added said police need to be trained to help domestic abuse victims even if they don’t ask for it.

She said law enforcement and adult protective services need better communication so they know which citizens are most vulnerable to being hurt.

“Something should pop up that yes they are a person at risk,” she said.

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