A Chippewa Falls man is sentenced to life in prison for killing his girlfriend. Scott Vanigan pleaded no contest to a first-degree intentional homicide charge for the murder of Lynn Smith.
As part of the plea deal, arson and corpse mutilation charges were dismissed. Prosecutors say firefighters responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting Vanigan’s home was on fire in July 2022. When they arrived, they say they found Smith’s body — and according to the autopsy, she was dead before the fire started. Vanigan was found and arrested later the same day. He will have the possibility of parole after serving 35 years, and will have to pay more than 147-thousand dollars in restitution.
