Milwaukee homicides, 3 killed; jail privileges revoked for man accused
Milwaukee homicides, 3 killed: Man accused headed to trial
The man charged with shooting and killing three people in less than 30 minutes in two different parts of Milwaukee, which prompted a days-long manhunt earlier this month, is heading to trial as prosecutors are now accusing him of trying to tamper with witnesses.
MILWAUKEE - A judge has revoked nearly all jail communication privileges for a man charged with shooting and killing three people earlier this month, after prosecutors say he tried to tamper or intimidate witnesses in the case.
Milwaukee homicides
The backstory:
Prosecutors say Thomas S. Zollicoffer, 36, shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, 26-year-old Vanessa DeHerrera and 29-year-old Scott Bucholz at an apartment near 21st and Pierce on August 8. Less than a half-hour later, prosecutors say Zollicoffer entered a home, on the other side of the city, and shot and killed 39-year-old Shamarla Hare. Filings say multiple people, at each home, witnessed the killings. Police arrested Zollicoffer after a standoff at a relative’s home several days later.
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Milwaukee homicides, 3 killed; man accused heading to trial
The man charged with shooting and killing three people in less than 30 minutes in two different parts of Milwaukee is heading to trial as prosecutors are now accusing him of witness tampering.
Jail communication privileges revoked
What we know:
On Friday, Aug. 28, Milwaukee County Judge David Borowski revoked Zollicoffer’s jail communication privileges – except with his attorney – while he remains in custody. Borowski also put a protective order in place on records related to the case, shielding identifying information of witnesses from Zollicoffer and his defense attorney.
Court filings say prosecutors found a jail phone call, made by Zollicoffer about an hour before he appeared in court on Monday, August 24, to a man believed to be his twin brother.
"You know what you do, you tell your lawyer to make copies and make sure they give me and [unintelligible] a copy of that s*** bro so a mother****** can bust that mother****** around," said the man, believed to be Zollicoffer’s twin, according to court filings.
"Yeah, that’s another thing, I need my mother****** discovery immediately," Zollicoffer replied.
Later that afternoon, Zollicoffer appeared in court for a preliminary hearing where a commissioner bound him over for trial; he remains jailed on $1 million bond.
The revelation of that jail phone call comes as prosecutors were in court Friday for a bond review hearing, as prosecutors asked a judge to revoke Zollicoffer’s jail communications.
Nearly a week after Zollicoffer’s arrest, court filings say he sent messages to a person from a tablet – used by inmates to communicate – telling them to tell a witness to "stop lying" and later said, "Mark my words, I’ll be out even if it’s for a short time, they will pay for setting everything in motion."
The witness in question witnessed the two homicides at 21st and Pierce, according to court filings.
In the order, Borowski said "having observed substantial credible proffers, evidence and declarations" from prosecutors that Zollicoffer attempted the prevention or dissuasion of a witness to assist in the prosecution of the case, and that it’s "reasonably likely to continue to occur."
Borowski ordered Zollicoffer to have no contact with the witness, revoked his telephone, visitation and mail privileges while in custody – except with his attorney – and ordered Zollicoffer be confined in a place in the jail to ensure the orders are followed.
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Other people charged
Dig deeper:
A man and woman are also charged with aiding Zollicoffer during and after the homicides.
Police arrested Zollicoffer at the home of his cousin, Elena Cole, on August 11. Prosecutors charged Cole, 38, with letting Zollicoffer hide out at her home, and with child neglect for allegedly leaving her kids with Zollicoffer while she went out drinking. Cole posted $5,000 bond and was released from jail this week.
Prosecutors also charged a third person, 47-year-old Sengchanh Phengphonsavanh, with harboring or aiding a felon. Prosecutors say Phengphonsavanh was Zollicoffer’s getaway driver. He remains jailed on $25,000 bond and a corrections hold.
The Source: Information in this post comes from the criminal complaint and court filings.