It's been nearly five years since 18-year-old Winfred Jackson Jr. was tragically killed, his body discovered in the lagoon of Washington Park on March 17, 2020.
The case remains unsolved, leaving his family grieving and desperate for answers. I spoke with his aunt, Leatrice Martin Simmons, who holds on to unwavering hope for justice. Leatrice clutches a photo of her nephew, her voice heavy with emotion.
“He was an amazing young man,” she said. “He loved football, he loved basketball, and he loved his family.”
On that fateful day in March 2020, Milwaukee police responded to a shooting in Washington Park. The discovery was grim: Jackson’s lifeless body was floating in the lagoon. “He was shot multiple times,” Leatrice recalled. “The only thing he had in his pocket was his ID and some change.”
Watch: Family seeks justice for teen found in Washington Park lagoon in 2020
At just 18 years old, Jackson was on the cusp of adulthood. He had been pursuing his GED and dreamed of escaping Milwaukee to join the Army. Those dreams were cut short, and his killer remains on the run. Leatrice’s pain turns to frustration as she describes the lack of communication from the Milwaukee Police Department
“My niece called two weeks ago,” she says. “The detective is busy; he’s in a meeting. We’re still waiting for the detective to call us back.”
This silence has persisted for nearly five years, leaving the family feeling abandoned.
“Can you please tell me what you know?” Leatrice pleaded. “What leads do you have?”
Despite her repeated calls, I encouraged her to try again. She dialed the number, and the phone rang before going to the voicemail of Detective James Jordan. Leatrice’s frustration with the justice system is deeply personal.
“I have a degree in criminal justice,” she said, pointing to a certificate on her wall. “I wanted to become a police officer, but there’s so much that makes me feel like there is no hope in the justice system when it comes to Black and Brown people.”
I reached out to the Milwaukee Police Department myself, only to receive a two-sentence response: “This is an open investigation. We cannot accommodate an interview.”
Leatrice remains determined. “Allow me to believe in that degree on the wall,” she said. “Allow me to believe there is hope.”
She’s particularly frustrated that police seem to have overlooked key steps in the investigation, such as interviewing the person Winfred was supposed to meet the night he was killed.
“All the leads we have, we’ve brought to them,” she added.
A $10,000 reward is still being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case of Winfred Jackson Jr.
Leatrice’s final plea echoed with urgency: “If you’ve heard anything, if you know anything, you can call anonymously.”
If you have information that could help solve this case, please contact the Milwaukee Police Department or Crime Stoppers. This family deserves answers and justice for a young man whose life was taken far too soon.
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