Ariel Spillner, a Concordia University student who was shot to death in Milwaukee on November 4, was remembered in her obituary as a "radiant soul" and "standout athlete in both soccer and basketball."
A demographic report emailed to Complex by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's office reports that Spillner, 26, died at a residence in the 5100 block of North 39th Street in Milwaukee. Concordia is a private university located a few miles north of Milwaukee along Lake Michigan.
Milwaukee Police "are investigating a double shooting that occurred on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at approximately 9:40 p.m., on the 5100 block of North 39th Street," police wrote in an emailed release to Complex.
"The first victim, a 31-year-old sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The second victim, a 26-year-old sustained non-fatal gunshot wounds and was conveyed to a local hospital for treatment," police added. "The circumstances leading up to the shooting are under investigation. A subject was taken into custody at the scene, and charges are pending review by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office."
Despite the use of the word "victim" by police, WISN-TV reported that the second woman, 31, is the suspect in the case. Her name was not released; nor was the motive. No charges have been issued.
Courtney Spillner, Ariel's sister, told the television station that Ariel was friends with the suspect: "She was friends with her. It was her birthday, I guess. And she probably just went over there to celebrate. She had a big exam on Friday, so I don't anticipate that she would have stayed out too long. But yeah, just to be there for her friend, celebrate their birthday."
Added Courtney to the station: "I had talked to her at 8 that evening and everything was fine. She was her goofy self, laughing, smiling, joking around. And just a few hours after that is when she had passed. It's just shocking. It's hard to wrap my head around not having my sister."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Spillner's family.
Spillner's Facebook page contains several recent posts about depression, cheating, and other issues.
Born in Madison, WI, Spillner "grew up in Windsor and graduated from DeForest High School in 2017, where she was a standout athlete in both soccer and basketball," her obituary says.
"After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Ariel continued her education at Concordia University Wisconsin, receiving her Master’s degree in Natural Products," continued the obit. "She was a proud member of the Kappa Psi Pharmaceutical Fraternity and was in the final stages of completing her Doctorate in Pharmacy at the time of her passing."
The obituary continued, "Though her time here was heartbreakingly short, Ariel lived fully — with courage, joy, and endless love. Her memory will forever be a beacon for all who were lucky enough to know her."