Milwaukee fatal shooting near 39th and Lancaster, woman charged

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee woman has been criminally charged in connection to a fatal shooting that occurred near 39th and Lancaster on Nov. 4. Family identified 26-year-old Ariel Spillner as the person shot and killed.

The accused, 32-year-old Jamica Mills, is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, use of a dangerous weapon. 

Fatal shooting

The backstory:

According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to the scene around 9:40 p.m. for reports of a shooting. When police arrived at the scene, they found two women inside the residence with gunshot wounds. The women were identified as Jamica Mills and Ariel Spillner. 

Court filings say Mills was found conscious and lying on her back with a gunshot wound to her abdomen. Spillner was unresponsive and died at the scene. 

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

Per the complaint, a Ruger LCP .380 caliber handgun and two spent .380 caliber casings were recovered at the scene. 

Court filings say Mills was combative on scene and continued to be combative and uncooperative with hospital staff after she was transported.

Interview with Mills

Dig deeper:

During an interview with investigators at the hospital, Mills identified Spillner as her friend that she had known for approximately one year. 

During the interview, Mills initially claimed she could not remember what happened. She told investigators she woke up in the living room — and the next thing she remembered was being at the hospital. 

Mills later changed her story, telling investigators she and Spillner smoked weed together and both became paranoid.

Per the complaint, Mills mentioned that Spillner was supposed to cut her dog's hair with scissors, and at that time, Mills became paranoid that Spillner would stab her. 

Mills explained that she went into her bedroom and retrieved her firearm off her bed and went back to the living room, according to the complaint. Mills said Spillner made a "hand motion" and then Mills shot Spillner, court filings say. 

Mills told investigators she did not see the scissors and Spillner did not make any threats to stab her, per the complaint. 

Mills stated she then walked towards the front door and accidentally shot herself in the stomach. Mills stated she did not mean to kill Spillner.

She was uncooperative with police and hospital staff, according to the complaint.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

Search warrants also reveal another person living in the home was arrested in connection to the homicide. That individual has not been formally charged, and investigators believe they lied to police about what happened. FOX6 is not naming them.

Family still in shock

What they're saying:

"We’re not handling it very well at all," said Courtney Spillner, Ariel’s sister. "We don’t know anyone who would want to hurt Ariel in any way, shape or form. And it’s hard that an apparent friend would do this to her."

"To have this happen, it is bizarre, it is overwhelming," she said. "I don’t know what to believe. I really don’t."

Spillner’s family says they oppose a plea deal and want a more serious charge.

"She doesn’t have anyone to speak on her behalf on what happened there," Courtney Spillner said. "So we need to say her name, and get her justice that she deserves."

A GoFundMe has been created to support Spillner’s family.

Initial court appearance

What's next:

Mills made her initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Sunday, Nov. 9. Cash bond was set at $150,000.

Mills is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 17.

Crime and Public SafetyMilwaukeeNews