Wisconsin Mom Charged With Murder After Stabbing Daughter to 'Protect Her From Elon Musk’
On the morning of March 20, Tyiece Oninski called the Rock County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line and told dispatchers she had "murdered" her 14-year-old daughter the night before.
The call lasted more than 13 minutes. During it, Oninski said she had stabbed her daughter to "protect her from somebody else" — and later named that person as billionaire Elon Musk. She offered no explanation for why she believed her daughter needed protection from him. There is no evidence she knew Musk or had any connection to him.
When dispatchers asked whether an ambulance should be sent for her daughter, Oninski replied: "She's dead, honey. She needs a hearse."
She then asked for an ambulance for herself, explaining she had tried to take her own life with the same knife but had survived. She said she had lain down next to her daughter's body but did not die.
What Officers Found
Rock County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the home on East Gordon Street in the Town of Turtle — a rural community in Rock County — at 7:56 a.m. Inside, they found Kuren Rein face down in a large pool of blood on the floor of a four-season porch that served as her bedroom. Her arms were tucked beneath her head and her feet were toward the door. She had no defensive wounds.
The Rock County Medical Examiner determined Rein died from deep incised wounds to the right side of her neck. A black pocket knife and an empty leather sheath were found near her body.
Investigators also noted a partial barefoot footprint inside the home. When a detective examined Oninski, her left foot had red staining on the bottom consistent with blood.
Oninski was found with a deep laceration to her neck, cuts on both wrists and a stab wound to her temple. She was taken to Beloit Memorial Hospital and later transferred to a facility in Madison for further treatment.
Drugs, and a Question About Fame
Toxicology reports from the hospital showed Oninski had three substances in her blood: benzodiazepines, amphetamines and THC.
While still hospitalized on March 22, Oninski allegedly asked a deputy "if her name was all over the news yet." According to the criminal complaint, she was disappointed to learn it was not.
The homeowner — an elderly man with whom Oninski and Rein lived — told officers he had just woken up that morning and believed Kuren was at school. His bedroom was in a separate part of the house. He was not believed to have any involvement in the attack.
Who Kuren Rein Was
Kuren Rein was a 14-year-old freshman at Beloit Memorial High School and an honor roll student. Her uncle, Travis Oninski, told local media he had spoken to her just days before her death. She had told him about her straight A's.
"I was proud of Kuren for doing such a good job, for being able to stay focused," he said. "I know that was the last time I ever got the chance to speak with her."
Her aunt, Megan Oninski, described the girl as "kind, intelligent, and full of such contagious optimism, even in the darkest of times." The school's principal sent a message to students saying Kuren "will be deeply missed."
Her death is the first homicide recorded in the Town of Turtle since 2011.
The Charges and What Comes Next
Tyiece Oninski, 41, was formally charged with first-degree intentional homicide by the Rock County District Attorney's Office. Under Wisconsin law, the charge is a Class A felony carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison.
She appeared via video for an initial court appearance on March 30. Her bond was set at $1 million cash. Her next scheduled court date is April 14.
A GoFundMe launched by family friends to cover funeral costs and support Kuren's surviving brother had raised more than $12,000 as of the time of filing. The fundraiser describes the loss as "unimaginable" and asks for support for "a young man who has just lost his sister in a devastating and unthinkable way at the hands of their own mother."
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