Documents show how police pieced together evidence to link Waukesha shooting suspects to other crimes



WAUKESHA (WITI) -- She never held the gun -- but the alleged getaway driver in a Waukesha gas station armed robbery turned murder now faces a felony murder charge herself. This, as we learn more about how police pieced together evidence to link her and two others to other armed robberies.

Jerica Cotton



23-year-old Jerica Cotton, believed to be the getaway driver, has been charged with two felonies: felony murder-armed robbery and armed robbery. Cotton’s bail has been set at $250,000 cash. She's one of two charged in connection with the incident in Waukesha that occurred last week Tuesday, January 13th.

Police were called out to the Citgo gas station at Whiterock Avenue and E. Moreland Boulevard, after a caller dialed 911 and hung up. There, they found 65-year-old Saeed Sharwani with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Sharwani was unable to talk, but when asked how many people were there, he reportedly held up two fingers.

He was taken to the hospital, where he died.

Based on surveillance video from inside the Citgo gas station, two men entered the store wearing Halloween masks — and one produced a handgun. Sharwani confronted the armed suspect and the suspect shot Sharwani in the chest — before the two suspects fled the store.

Kenneth Thomas



19-year-old Kenneth Thomas, a convicted felon, is the alleged gunman. He faces the following felony charges:


    A third suspect, 28-year-old Darrin Malone, is still being sought by police.

    It didn't matter that Jerica Cotton allegedly never left her vehicle on January 13th. She's still charged with felony murder -- and armed robbery as party to a crime.

    "We have a woman who was asked to drive people somewhere and was offered money to do it," Cotton's attorney, Anthony Cotton said as Jerica Cotton and Kenneth Thomas appeared in court Monday, January 19th.

    Police say Jerica Cotton told them she was given $60 to drive two men to the Citgo gas station last Tuesday evening. She says she was told to park on a side street and wait. She told police it is “in her nature to help people” — and that she agreed to give them rides “to be helpful.”

    But as the prosecution points out -- days before the incident in Waukesha, on January 10th, shots were fired at the 7-Eleven on West Bluemound Road in the Town of Brookfield. Four 9mm shell casings were recovered at the scene.

    Surveillance video from that incident showed two male suspects entering the 7-Eleven, with both suspects pointing guns at the clerk.

    One round was fired at the clerk, police say.

    The complaint says the clerk told police he observed both suspects enter a waiting vehicle following the robbery.

    They were able to get away with money and lottery tickets, police say.

    It is believed Jerica Cotton was the driver that day -- waiting for the men in a hotel parking lot.

    Police say it was the shell casings left behind that helped them determine the Town of Brookfield incident, the Waukesha incident and an armed robbery in West Allis earlier this month -- on January 7th involved the same 9mm handgun.

    That handgun was recovered by police when a search warrant was executed on Thomas' residence in West Allis on January 14th.

    Police spoke with Kenneth Thomas, and they say he initially denied his involvement in any of the robberies — saying Darrin Malone and another man put the evidence in his apartment.

    Eventually, Thomas told police he and Malone had agreed to go to Waukesha on the night of the fatal shooting. They went to the Citgo gas station, and Thomas told police the clerk “started freaking out, and so did he.”

    Thomas told police the shooting occurred when “the clerk grabbed him” saying “the next thing he knew, the gun went off.” Thomas told police his finger was on the trigger, but he thought the safety was on the gun.

    Thomas told police when he got home, he noticed the gun’s safety was off, according to the complaint.

    Thomas has a felony conviction for taking and driving a vehicle without consent, filed in Milwaukee County in 2012. He was on probation at the time of the shooting in Waukesha.

    Darrin Malone



    The search continues for 28-year-old Darrin Malone — believed to be the second man involved in the incident. Malone has known ties to Waukesha, police say.

    The owner of the Citgo gas station has offered up to a $5,000 reward to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of the third suspect in this case — Darrin Malone.

    Malone should be considered armed and extremely dangerous — anyone with information regarding his whereabouts are asked to call the Waukesha Police Department at 262-524-3820.

    Meanwhile — the Taco Johns restaurant on N. Grand Avenue in Waukesha is organizing a fundraiser to benefit Sharwani’s family. On Saturday, January 24th, 10% of sales will go to Sharwani’s family.



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