Pleasant Prairie fatal shooting, 2 charged in man's death
PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. - A Milwaukee man and woman are accused in connection to a Jan. 23 Pleasant Prairie fatal shooting.
Marchello Jones, 29, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and possession of a firearm by a felon. Maria Jones, 27, is charged with harboring/aiding a felon.
The shooting happened in the Shoppes at Prairie Ridge parking lot, near 104th Avenue and 77th Street. The victim – since identified as 46-year-old Anton Space of Kenosha – was taken a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officials said Space leaves behind a wife and four children.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
According to the criminal complaint, surveillance footage showed a black Chevrolet pull into the parking lot around 3:48 p.m. Marchello Jones was seen in the driver's seat, and Maria Jones was seen in the front passenger's seat. Prosecutors said they had a child with them and had gone in and out of a Dollar Tree.
Minutes later, the complaint states Space's vehicle was seen on surveillance entering the parking lot. Prosecutors said Space was observed approaching the Chevrolet's front passenger said. He was standing at that window when a puff of smoke was seen emanating from the window; he then crumpled to the ground. The Chevrolet then immediately backed out of its parking space and left.
Pleasant Prairie shooting investigation
Per the complaint, a review of Space's cellphone showed that around the time of the shooting, he had made plans to meet up with an unknown subject in the Dollar Tree parking lot to buy $40 worth of "marijuana carts." Detectives said it appears Space went up the defendants' vehicle by mistake.
The day after the shooting, both Marchello and Maria Jones were arrested inside the same Chevrolet during a traffic stop. Detectives said there were two bullet holes in the lower left side of the passenger side window.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android
Per the complaint, Maria Jones initially told law enforcement that she shot Space because he had been trying to enter her vehicle. She stated she took the gun out of her purse and shot him and then Marchello Jones drove back toward Milwaukee. She stated at some point they pulled off the highway, and she threw the gun out the window.
During a later interview, the complaint states Maria Jones told investigators she wanted to be honest and that Marchello Jones had actually been the one to shoot Space. She said Space had walked up to their car and tried to open the passenger side door. She claimed she went to lock the door to keep the victim from entering the car when she heard two loud bangs near her left ear and saw the victim fall to the ground.
Maria Jones said she did not know the victim, per the complaint, and when he had approached her side of the car she did not see anything in his hands and he did not say anything – he simply reached for the door handle. She said Marchello Jones then drove off toward the interstate. She stated that she initially was not honest with law enforcement because Marchello told her that she needed to take the charge in this case because her punishment would be less severe because she does not have a record. Marchello Jones tossed the gun, she said.
Pleasant Prairie shooting
Prosecutors said Maria Jones told investigators that they parked the Chevrolet at her cousin's house for the night and went to a friend's house. The next day, they allegedly retrieved the Chevrolet, dropped their child off at her mother’s house and then started driving toward the Pleasant Prairie police station while "getting the story straight" – meaning to tell authorities Maria was the shooter.
Maria Jones told detectives that Marchello Jones is paranoid that someone is out to kill him, so he always carries a gun.
Maria Jones made her initial court appearance on Jan. 26 and was issued a $20,000 signature bond. Marchello Jones made his initial appearance in court on Feb. 2; his cash bond was set at $500,000.