Two killed in Grant County shooting identified

A deadly shooting in Smelser that happened Saturday was a murder-suicide and the two who have died have been identified. Grant County Sheriff Cragi Reukauf identified the woman as 35-year-old Katie Kieffer of Darlington and the man as 40-year-old Ben Randecker. The two had a child together but their relationship had recently ended. The shooting was first reported at around 1:30 p.m. Saturday. A 911 caller found two people with gunshot wounds outside of a home in the town of Smelser, just south of Cuba City. Law enforcement arrived to find Kieffer and Randecker on the ground near a vehicle. Kieffer was dead. Randecker was taken to Southwest Health Center in Platteville, then to another hospital in Madison where he later died. Last month, Randecker was arrested and charged with domestic battery, domestic disorderly conduct, criminal damage to property and stalking stemming from an incident in Darlington. Kieffer went to Randecker’s home on Saturday to drop off their child. When she got there and got out of her car, Randecker shot her then shot himself. An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.