Zimmermann family creates reward fund, renews plea for information

The family of Brittany Zimmermann returned to Madison today (Sept. 4) to announce the creation of a reward fund designed to spur tips and other information that might help solve the case.

Twenty-one-year-old Zimmermann, of Marshfield, was killed last April in her downtown apartment. She was a UW–Madison student majoring in medical microbiology and immunology and had a goal of becoming a doctor.

Appearing alongside Brittany’s parents and the parents of her fiancée, Jordan Gonering, her aunt, Kim Heeg, announced the $5,000 fund that will be supplemented by community donations.

“(Brittany) had those bright eyes and a beautiful smile that once you met her, you can’t seem to forget her,” she said. “So we are here today to remind all of you to please remember her as much as we still are.

“We are grateful for all of the community support we have received thus far, and we have to believe that someone has additional information that has not yet been shared with the police,” she added. “We are asking that you please come forward with any information that may help with this investigation. The days since Brittany’s death have been very dark, and we are desperate to find justice.”

Madison Police Chief Noble Wray is asking students, faculty and staff to think back to April 2 and whether they may have seen Brittany and noticed any detail about her path to Doty Street that day, however inconsequential it may seem.

Wray says Brittany began her walk back to her Doty Street apartment during the late morning of that day, starting on Bascom Hill and traveling down to State Street, and then using University Avenue, Bedford, Main and Doty streets.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (608) 266-6014.

“We believe that people in the community have information that will help us crack this case,” he said.

UW-Madison Dean of Students Lori Berquam says that UW–Madison hasn’t forgotten about Brittany since April, and continues to support her family and the investigation in any way it can. In a special ceremony, Brittany was posthumously awarded her degree on May 19.

Berquam has spearheaded a new campaign to promote awareness and education about personal safety, along with a new campus Web site.

“We’ve turned our thoughts into action this fall,” says Berquam. “One way that we’ve tried to honor Brittany memory is by coming together around the issue of personal safety.”

Contributions to the reward fund can be sent to Brittany Zimmermann Reward Fund, c/o Marshfield Medical Center Credit Union, 302 W. Upham St., Marshfield WI 54449.