Milwaukee homicides; man charged, accused of killing 3 people

MILWAUKEE - Prosecutors charged a Milwaukee man with shooting and killing three people last weekend, including his ex-girlfriend, that prompted a days-long manhunt.

Thomas Seville Zollicoffer, 36, is charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide and three counts of felony firearm possession. Police arrested Zollicoffer Tuesday afternoon following a standoff at a home near 84th and Fiebrantz in Milwaukee. Prosecutors also charged the homeowner with letting Zollicoffer hide out at her home, and leaving her kids with Zollicoffer while she went out drinking.

Two shootings, three killed

The backstory:

Police were first called to a shooting at an apartment building, the Knitting Factory Lofts, near 21st and Pierce at around 9:45 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8.

Court filings and search warrants say a woman told police Vanessa DeHerrera, 26, had been staying with her for a few days. Saturday afternoon, filings say the woman had six other people in her apartment, including DeHerrera and 29-year-old Scott Bucholz, when Zollicoffer arrived and began arguing with DeHerrera. Court filings say witnesses told police Zollicoffer was accusing DeHerrera of sleeping with other men, including Bucholz.

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The woman told police Zollicoffer – who is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms – gave her his gun to put in her bedroom, and later returned it when Zollicoffer said he was going to leave. Another witness said he and others were sitting on the couch when he saw Zollicoffer pointing a gun at DeHerrera and said, "I told you to quit playing with me" and shot DeHerrera in the head. Bucholz was also shot. Both died at the scene.

DeHerrera’s family told FOX6 DeHerrera, a mother of two boys ages 2 and 5, was trying to leave her on-and-off again boyfriend; Bucholz’ family said in online posts that Bucholz was helping a friend in a domestic dispute.

About 20 minutes after the shooting on W. Pierce, and four miles away, police were called to a home near 39th and Townsend. There police found Shamarla Hare, 39, with a gunshot wound to the head, according to court filings.

A witness in the home told police she and others heard a knock at the door, and when the door was opened, Zollicoffer walked inside and said, "I wanna talk to y’all, I got something to tell y’all." The witness said Hare got up from the couch and walked towards the door, when Zollicoffer grabbed Hare and said, "I said I wanted to talk to y’all," pulled a gun from his waistband, said "I can’t stand you anyways," and shot Hare in the head.

A witness told police, according to court filings, Zollicoffer then pointed the gun at her and said, "I just killed my baby mama," before telling Hare – as she was slumped over on the couch bleeding from the head – "Look what you made me do," and then shot Hare again at close range. The witness said Zollicoffer was crying and said he was "sorry," and walked out the door.

Court filings don’t detail the connection between Zollicoffer and Hare. Hare was rushed to the hospital, but died during surgery.

Surveillance video recovered from the neighborhood shows a person arrive in a vehicle at 39th and Townsend, walk into Hare’s home, and leave a little more than two minutes later, according to court filings.

Manhunt underway

The backstory:

The two shootings, within 30 minutes of each that left three people dead, started a hurried search for the suspect. Ballistics evidence found at both scenes matched the same gun, filings say. Police made an emergency request to a cell provider for phone records and location data, according to records reviewed by FOX6. Those records, filings say, put Zollicoffer’s cell phone around both homicide scenes at the time of the shootings, and showed Zollicoffer was in contact with a 47-year-old man numerous times on August 8, including an hour before the homicides on Pierce Street.

Court filings say witnesses at both crime scenes gave similar descriptions of a vehicle Zollicoffer was seen getting into, an older-model light-colored mid-size sedan, also seen on surveillance video. Filings say a Flock camera at 35th and Wisconsin spotted the vehicle minutes after the Pierce St. homicide, and that it matched the vehicle seen on surveillance at 39th and Townsend.

Police found the vehicle, registered to a since-defunct ice cream business run by the 47-year-old man, outside the man’s home near 30th and St. Paul, in the city’s Merrill Park neighborhood. He is currently in custody in the Milwaukee County jail. FOX6 is not naming the man as he has not been charged with a crime.

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Court filings say the man told police he picked up Zollicoffer from the Knitting Factory Lofts on Pierce Street, drove Zollicoffer to 39th and Townsend, and later to apartments near 74th and Silver Spring.

Police standoff

The backstory:

More than two days would go by, until shortly after noon Tuesday, Milwaukee Police surrounded a home near 84th and Fiebrantz, where Zollicoffer was suspected to be hiding out.

Milwaukee Police said they tried to contact Zollicoffer, but he barricaded himself inside, leading to a tactical response and crisis negotiators called in. Court filings say Zollicoffer tossed out two loaded guns, before coming out of the house about an hour later. FOX6 was there as officers talked with Zollicoffer, as he held a phone in his hand. Zollicoffer can be heard telling the officers to shoot him. Then a small "pop" is heard and Zollicoffer shakes his hand – as if wincing in pain; officers rush forward as a flashbang explodes nearby and police tackled him to the ground.

In an interview with police, court filings say Zollicoffer initially said Bucholz pulled out a gun and shot DeHerrera, but later said he didn't mean to kill DeHerrera and only meant to wound her. Filings say Zollicoffer then said he "lost it" and shot DeHerrera in the head, and shot Bucholz because he was "talking s---." In the interview with police, Zollicoffer said he then went to 39th and Townsend to buy drugs and sell the guns, and admitted to shooting Hare in the head.

Late Saturday night into Sunday morning, a woman told police a drunk and crying Zollicoffer showed up at her home near 84th and Fiebrantz, and she stayed up talking with him until 2:00 am. Elena Cole, 38, told police Zollicoffer was still at her home on Monday, and said Zollicoffer told her he killed people. Monday evening, court filings say Cole left her three children – ages 15, 10 and 6 – with Zollicoffer while she went out drinking.

Court filings say, when asked why Cole didn’t call police, she said she "did not want to get into it," and Zollicoffer – at one point – said "he was just going to have a shootout with the police."

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