Deon Staten
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for a pair of fatal shootings that happened within two months' time.
Deon Staten, 27, pleaded guilty in January to felony murder and second-degree reckless homicide. He was also sentenced to 17 years of extended supervision.
Prosecutors said Staten was involved in an armed robbery and shots fired incident a little more than a month before the first fatal shooting. Charges related to that incident were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
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Nov. 30, 2019 | Homicide of JaShawn Bell
Police were called to the area near 26th and Hope, where they found Bell with a gunshot wound to his head, sitting in a vehicle. Bell died at the hospital.
Shooting scene near 26th and Hope | Nov. 30, 2019
According to a criminal complaint, a bullet casing found on the passenger seat was determined to have been fired from the same gun used in an Oct. 22, 2019 armed robbery and shooting.
A passenger who was will Bell at the time told police, per the complaint, that a man – later identified as Staten – shot Bell during a drug deal. Staten allegedly told Bell, "I wish you would drive off," before shooting him.
Jan. 20, 2020 | Homicide of Marko Stennis
Stennis was found in the driver's seat of a vehicle with a gunshot wound to his head – his wife in the passenger seat. The complaint said drugs, a gun and three bullet casings were found in a location consistent with the shooter having been in the back passenger's seat.
According to the complaint, the wife said she and Stennis were going to pick up money he was owed. The met a man who prosecutors said was Staten near 24th and Vienna. He got in the car and the drove to an ATM near 27th and Capitol.
Shooting scene near 24th and Vienna | Jan. 20, 2020
The wife said, per the complaint, that they all then drove back to 24th and Vienna where Staten got out, got back in and then said: "Give it up." Stennis moved toward the backseat and the wife heard several gunshots and Staten got out and ran.
According to prosecutors, Staten admitted to his involvement in the shooting – but claimed he returned fire after Stennis shot him in the buttocks. He also said he and someone else arranged to rob Stennis.