MILWAUKEE – Two people have been charged with first degree intentional homicide in the death of Prince McCree, a 5-year-old boy from Milwaukee who was found dead in a dumpster last week near 55th and Vliet.
27-year-old David E. Pietura and 15-year-old Erik J. Mendoza were both also charged Monday with physical abuse of a child causing death, and hiding a corpse. Mendoza is also facing three separate charges of recklessly endangering safety.
According to a criminal complaint, Mendoza and Pietura both lived in the house that McCree’s family lived in. Cell phone data and surveillance footage were used to identify the two as suspects and were major factors in their arrest.
In a media release on October 24, the Milwaukee Police Department confirmed that the remains of McCree were located by a search party around 8:50 a.m. McCree had been reported missing the prior day around 1:00 p.m. earlier that day on N 54th St.
The complaint alleges that Mendoza and Pietura both killed McCree in the basement of the house before disposing of the body in the dumpster. The cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma.
If convicted of all charges, Pietura and Mendoza both face life in prison, with the homicide charges carrying a mandatory life sentence.
The family of McCree has set up a GoFundMe to help raise funds for funeral costs and help support his parents as they mourn. As of 3:00 p.m. on Monday, October 30, the fundraiser has exceeded its goal of $10,000 and raised over $14,000.
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