A Wisconsin community is mourning following the tragic death of a kindergartener who was discovered lifeless in a dumpster on Thursday, Oct. 26.
The Milwaukee Police Department has launched a homicide investigation into two persons of interest, both males residing in the same household as the 5-year-old victim.
David E. Pietura, 27, and Erik J. Mendoza, 15, confessed to their involvement in young Prince McCree’s untimely demise and are now facing homicide charges in connection with the boy’s fatal beating, police say.
The child had been reported missing the day before he was discovered.
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According to authorities, the child was killed by the two while his mother was asleep, and the two seemingly had no motive for committing this gruesome act, as detailed in a 14-page criminal complaint filed on Monday, Oct. 30.
The only apparent reason mentioned in the complaint is that Mendoza allegedly said he disliked Prince and also told the older suspect that he just wanted to kill somebody.
Pietura said he got involved after he allegedly saw the teen choking the little boy, and instead of stopping it, he joined in.
The criminal complaint reveals that Prince suffered repeated blows to the head with a wedge iron golf club and a barbell, and his head was even stomped on, but remarkably, these acts did not result in his death. Instead, the fatal blow was delivered when the suspects dropped a ceramic birdbath on the child’s head.
The two then disposed of the body as the boy’s family frantically looked all over the place.
Police said in their complaint that Prince, his parents, and two siblings lived in a house owned by a family friend and her three children. One of that woman’s children is Mendoza. Pietura was an acquaintance of Mendoza’s mother and lived in the basement.
State Sen. LaTonya Johnson is a neighbor of the family and recalled how Prince’s parents searched for their missing child on Wednesday, Oct. 25. Prince’s mother had awakened around 1 p.m. that day and noticed the boy missing. He had stayed home from school because he was ill. They went from house to house, knocking on doors in a desperate effort to locate him.
“They were distraught. It was a shock. This neighborhood is relatively quiet. You don’t see a lot of police activity. We knew it was something serious,” the senator said to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
When the little neighbor was found about a mile from home the next day after his killers told police where he was, he’d been bound and gagged in garbage bags and had been tossed into a dumpster.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with the expenses for the homegoing service for the little boy who just started kindergarten this year and recently lost his second baby tooth.
According to the online fundraiser, Prince had started elementary school at the beginning of fall. He was a “happy little boy who loved his brother and sister very much,” as well as Transformers, Spiderman, Fortnite and Roblox. Prince had just lost his second baby tooth.
Prince’s mother’s cousin, Marie Stillo, said they are all “very sad at what happened” but are now focusing on the mom during this time of bereavement.
“It wasn’t fair,” Stillo said to the Journal Sentinel. “Now we are just trying to deal with it and put him to rest and help my cousin.”
The crowdfunding campaign, which originally had a goal of $10,000, is now close to $17,000. Now, the family will be able to have a beautiful funeral and also a headstone.
According to the MPD, Pietura is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, among other counts. If found guilty, he could receive a maximum of two life sentences plus 12 years and 6 months in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.
Mendoza, in turn, is charged with multiple counts, including first-degree intentional homicide. A conviction could result in up to two life sentences plus 65 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Mendoza also is accused of committing three random stabbings two days before Prince’s slaying. Those victims were all attacked from behind on the street, but none were fatally injured.
