MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – The man who pleaded no contest in the kidnapping plot of a former classmate will spend 30 years in a mental health facility, a judge decided on Tuesday.

Gabriel Savage pleaded no contest on Friday, May 17, to one count of attempted homicide. The court found him guilty, but not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

The court dismissed three other charges of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, one charge of attempted first-degree sexual assault- use of a dangerous weapon and one charge of attempted first-degree child sexual assault.

Savage, 21, will have 20 days to appeal the ruling. He will be credited more than 700 days for time served.

A trial for Savage was originally set to begin this week.

According to the criminal complaint stemming from the attempted homicide allegations, a Discord group chat with DeForest classmates indicated on June 20 that Savage had a notebook stating that he was allegedly planning to kill a woman, her family and then kill himself. One of the students in the group, a relative of Savage, said that Savage was out on bail at the time and was trying to buy mace.

Savage pleaded not guilty in July of 2023.

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