Charges have been filed in the death of 15-year-old Dennis King.
A criminal complaint alleges a 21-year-old man accused of killing Milwaukee teenager Dennis King called 911 and identified himself on the day of the homicide.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office said 21-year old Malik Terrell was taken into custody in Chicago and faces a first-degree intentional homicide charge once he’s transported back across state lines.
According to a graphic criminal complaint, a relative inside a home near 12th & Keefe told investigators he saw Terrell beat King with a hammer and stab him, repeatedly, in the throat. The fight was over a video game robbery according to a criminal complaint.
Investigators allege Terrell and a relative moved the teen’s body into a vacant house down the street and burned it.
King's body was reported missing on May 11, but it wasn't until May 20 that police located his body. According to the criminal complaint, a 911 call indicating King may be in danger was placed on the day of the crime.
“The caller identifies himself as “Malik Terrell” and provides the address,” the complaint reads.
“The caller states that he has just been robbed, but has detained the robber’s accomplice,” according to the complaint. “The caller tells the telecommunicator that the name of the person he has detained is “Dennis King.” The caller becomes irate, and ends the 911 call by simply stating that he is going to kill the person he has detained.”
Police did not reply to questions Tuesday regarding the response to that 911 call.
MPD also had no comment regarding whether anyone else mentioned in the criminal complaint is facing charges in connection with the case.
If convicted Terrell faces life in prison.
Monday evening, friends and family released balloons into the air and honored Kingat a vigil just steps away from where his body was found.
“He was at my house every day,” said Yolon Perry.
She said King and her son were best friends.
“He was such a good boy. I can’t understand how an adult would treat him so brutally,” Perry said.
Ten-year-old Javontae Davis said he and King were very good friends.
"I’m going to miss him a lot,” Davis said. “Why did they have to take his life at 15-years old?”
Pastor Malcolm Hunt comforts families of violence. He talked with King's mother.
"We are losing our babies, losing our children and losing our young people to all this evil that is going on within our community," said Hunt. "From my understanding, it was something about a game or something that this young man was beat to death over. That just shows you that we are living in the last days."
