Two individuals have been charged in connection with the death of a 5-year-old Milwaukee boy who was found dead in a dumpster in late October, CBS-58 reported.
Police charged David Pietura, 27, and a 15-year-old, later identified as Erik Mendoza, with first-degree intentional homicide, physical abuse of a child, and hiding a corpse. Mendoza is also facing three counts of reckless endangerment in connection to a series of stabbings on October 23.
Prince McCree, 5, was reported missing on October 25 and found in a dumpster on Milwaukee’s near northwest side the following day. McCree’s body was found inside multiple garbage bags bound and gagged, and his death was ruled a homicide.
According to the criminal complaint, McCree and the suspects all lived in different parts of the same residence. On the morning of October 25, McCree’s mother kept him home from school due to a sore throat and cough. The boy was last seen around 9:00 a.m. when he went to the basement of the residence to play video games.
A search of the home uncovered evidence related to the boy’s murder, prompting investigators to interview Mendoza and Pietura.
Pietura eventually told detectives that he walked in as Mendoza was choking the boy but did nothing to stop him. According to the criminal complaint, Pietura and Mendoza bound and gagged McCree and placed him in a garbage bag. The two suspects then repeatedly beat the boy, using a barbell and a golf club.
Pietura admitted to detectives that Mendoza had “for some time” talked about killing someone and said that the teenager specifically spoke of killing McCree whom he did not like.
Investigators obtained surveillance footage showing the suspects carrying a white garbage bag through an alley. They were then shown walking up to the dumpster where McCree’s body was found.
During questioning, Mendoza admitted that he randomly stabbed three people on October 23 because he “wanted to stab someone badly.” The suspect admitted that stabbing them gave him a rush.
Pietura appeared in court last Monday.
Mendoza appeared in juvenile court the following day.
Both suspects are being held on a cash bail of $500,000.
