Walter E. Ellis

Walter E. Ellis (Photo)

Walter E. Ellis is a "person of interest" in the serial killings on Milwaukee's north side.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee police have arrested a 49-year-old man in connection with the killing of at least six prostitutes over 21 years in the city, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

The suspect, Walter E. Ellis of Milwaukee, was arrested at noon Saturday at a hotel in Franklin by a swarm of police officers, the sources said. A witness confirmed a large number of officers descended on the hotel for an arrest.

Ellis was booked on a temporary felony warrant and was being questioned Sunday by detectives in the Milwaukee police Prisoner Processing Section, the sources said.

...Police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said a suspect was being interviewed.

"Milwaukee police have a person of interest in custody who we are talking to regarding a number of cold case homicides," Schwartz said. "More information will be provided by Chief Flynn and D.A. Chisholm at a news conference Monday."

Ellis' DNA has been found on at least seven females killed between 1986 and 2007, the sources said. Police officials have said they think someone else killed one of those victims, a white 16-year-old runaway whose throat was slashed. The other victims, all prostitutes and African-American, were strangled.

The State Crime Laboratory also has been processing DNA found on two dozen slain prostitutes to see if there is a match with Ellis. The seven killings occurred in an area roughly bounded by N. King Drive, N. 27th St., W. North Ave. and W. Capitol Drive. One victim was found in the Menomonee River, but authorities believe she was killed elsewhere.

Court records show Ellis once lived close to the area where many of the homicides occurred.

Ellis was criminally charged 12 times between 1981 and 1998 for violent and property crimes, according to online court records.

Ellis' last felony conviction was in 1998. Ellis was sentenced to five years in prison for recklessly endangering safety, according to court records. Further details of that case were not available. Of the seven victims who have been linked to Ellis, none was killed between 1998 and 2006.

There also was a gap between 1987 and 1994. Online records show Ellis was released from federal prison in December 1992. Details about that case were not available Sunday.

What's troubling is that Ellis has such a lengthy criminal record. He had so many brushes with the police during the period of the murders.

If Ellis is indeed the murderer, and he killed several women over 21-year period, odds are there would have been another victim eventually.

From FOX 6 News:

Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn, along with District Attorney John Chisholm announced they will be holding a joint news conference to update the public on the investigation into the search for a north side serial killer. There were seven deaths linked to the same DNA profile. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Police arrested a 49-year-old man in connection with the homicides. He is being questioned as a person of interest in the murders. So far, the investigation has helped clear a couple of other cold cases. The news conference is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, and will be carried LIVE on FOX 6 News at 6 and FOX6Now.com.

UPDATE: Police say man arrested in serial killed case linked to 9 deaths

Authorities on Monday charged a 49-year-old man suspected in the killings of as many as nine women over 21 years in Milwaukee, officials announced at an evening news conference.

Walter E. Ellis was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths of Joyce Mims, 41, and Ouithreaun Stokes, 28, who were strangled a decade apart.

He was arrested around noon Saturday at a motel in Franklin Milwaukee Police Chief Edward A. Flynn said.

"This search was about shoe leather and science," Flynn said Monday evening.

Ellis' DNA has been found on at least nine females killed between 1986 and 2007, according to the criminal complaint. That is two more than had been previously stated by authorities.

Police officials have said they think someone else killed one of those victims, Jessica Payne, a white 16-year-old runaway whose throat was slashed. The other victims, all prostitutes and African-American, were strangled.

The State Crime Laboratory processed DNA found on two dozen slain prostitutes to see if there is a match with Ellis and discovered two other hits - on Irene Smith, 25, killed in 1992, and Carron D. Kilpatrick, 32, killed 1994, authorities said Monday. Both women were strangled.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm said Monday evening he anticipates more homicide charges to be filed against Ellis in the other slayings in the next day or so.

"We intend to bring justice to these victims and their families," said Chisholm.

Police declined Monday evening to release a photo of Ellis so it could be shown to possible witnesses for identification.

The killings occurred in an area roughly bounded by N. King Drive, N. 27th St., W. North Ave. and W. Capitol Drive. One victim was found in the Menomonee River, but authorities believe she was killed elsewhere.

Authorities announced in May they had discovered that a serial killer was murdering prostitutes in Milwaukee over two decades and typically was dumping their bodies in vacant houses.

Other victims linked to Ellis are Shelia Farrior, 37, strangled in 1995; Tanya L. Miller, 19, killed in 1986; Deborah L. Harris, 31, killed in 1986, and Florence McCormick, 28, strangled in 1995.

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Related posts:

Walter E. Ellis: Criminal Complaint

Walter Ellis: Charged with 5 More Murders