Man charged in slaying outside Walgreens
A 51-year-old Milwaukee man was charged Monday with first-degree intentional homicide in last week’s ambush slaying of his ex-girlfriend outside the Walgreens at North 27th Street and West North Avenue.
Willie L. “Bill” Jones faces mandatory life in prison if convicted. According to the complaint: Cathy King, 48, had just been dropped off at the store at 2 p.m. May 5 to start her shift as a pharmacy technician. Her daughter-in-law had driven her there.
As soon King exited the car and stood, Jones appeared from behind a pillar near the store’s entrance and shot her.
The daughter-in-law, who had a passenger in the backseat, drove away to a corner of the parking lot and called 911. She said she saw King’s coworkers rush out to help her and while they knelt near the victim, Jones shot King again.
When an officer appeared, Jones was still standing near King. As the officer walked within about six feet of them, Jones said, “You’ll have to (expletive) kill me.” The officer saw Jones was armed, drew his own weapon, retreated to his squad car and ordered Jones to drop his gun.
Jones refused that and subsequent demands. When he appeared to fire toward the officer, the officer shot Jones and he dropped the gun. He was then arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment of the gunshot wound.
Firefighters treated King, but she died at the scene from four gunshot wounds, according to the complaint.
King’s family, friends and coworkers gathered outside the store Wednesday to honor her. Her sister said King hadn’t been in a relationship with Jones for months, but that he refused to accept it was over.