Boyd, WI: Sheriff: Husband injured wife, killed her boyfriend

Posted: Saturday, April 3, 2010 5:02 pm | Updated: 6:12 pm, Sat Apr 3, 2010.
By Alyssa Waters
Leader-Telegram staff
BOYD — A love triangle may have led to the shooting death of a Boyd man and a woman's injuries, a Chippewa County sheriff's official says.
Kyle B. Ryba, 24, of 10057 Highway D, was shot to death early Saturday, and his 18-year-old girlfriend, Stephanie N. Ball, was wounded when her husband, William A. Ball, 21, of Minot, N.D., allegedly shot the couple.
Chippewa County Sheriff Jim Kowalczyk said Stephanie and William Ball are married and have been separated "for at least two weeks."
Kowalczyk said Stephanie Ball had been staying with her father, William Johns Jr., at 135 N. Adams St., Boyd, for the past couple of weeks, where the shooting occurred. Prior to that, she lived in Minot, N.D., with her husband.
Ryba and Stephanie Ball were shot at 3:09 a.m. Saturday, Kowalczyk said. Ryba was pronounced dead at 4:09 a.m. by Chippewa County Coroner Kay Gerrits. Stephanie Ball was flown to a Twin Cities hospital with a gunshot wound to the right leg. Her condition was not available Saturday afternoon.
By all accounts, it appears William Ball arrived at Johns' house Thursday night or Friday morning, Kowalczyk said.
"Neighbors said they saw his car there during the day on Friday," Kowalczyk said. "I would think you would have a clear idea of why he would come here — obviously if you have a handgun in the car."
Kowalczyk would not elaborate on specific events leading up to the shooting.
William Ball was arrested at 6:15 a.m. in Cottage Grove, Minn., about three hours after the police were called to the scene of the shooting.
The Chippewa County Sheriff's Department will not be able to transport William Ball back to Chippewa County until an arrest warrant is issued and he signs the extradition papers. If he refuses to agree to the extradition, Chippewa County authorities will request a Minnesota governor's warrant.
"It just depends what he does," Kowalzyk said. "We will serve him with the complaint and summons. Staying in Minnesota probably is not going to happen."
Those at the scene identified William Ball as the shooter and told police he may have been headed back to his home in Minot, Kowalczyk said. He was booked into the Washington County, (Minn.) Jail late Saturday afternoon.
Kowalczyk said William Ball likely wouldn't be booked until Saturday evening because he is being interviewed by investigators. Chippewa County investigators were en route Saturday to Washington County to interview William Ball.
Kowalczyk said it is expected William Ball will be charged with murder.
Services for Ryba will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Boyd, with burial in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Plombon Funeral Home in Stanley.