Charged: $1M cash bail for Philip Holland, accused of killing Waukesha man with hatchet

WAUKESHA COUNTY -- Charges have now been filed against 57-year-old Philip Holland of Waukesha in connection with the death of 45-year-old Timothy Minkley.

Philip Holland

Minkley was found dead inside his one-bedroom apartment near Wisconsin and Maple in Waukesha on Monday evening, September 14th.

Holland now faces the following charges:

A criminal complaint filed in this case indicates officials were dispatched to Minkley's home around 7:30 p.m. on September 14th following a report of an unknown problem. Minkley's uncle advised he found Minkley lying in a pool of blood -- not breathing.

Timothy Minkley

Officials located Minkley dead in the living room of his apartment. The complaint says he had several wounds to the back of his head that appeared to have been caused by a sharp object.

The complaint indicates officials located a cell phone in Minkley's pants pocket that contained text messages between Minkley and Holland.

Officials spoke with a woman who indicated she is a former girlfriend of Philip Holland. She indicated Holland came to her home on the evening of September 13th (the evening before the homicide) -- stating that he "needed some weed" in order to "mend the fences with another guy." The complaint says Holland told the woman that "if the weed did not work, something else would happen."

The complaint says on the morning of September 14th, Holland called his former girlfriend and said: "If the police come and question me, I haven't seen him."

Holland's former girlfriend told authorities on September 15th, Holland told her he had seen Minkley the previous evening.

Suspicious death in Waukesha

Authorities spoke with a woman who indicated she is Holland's current girlfriend. She said on September 14th, she and Holland were eating dinner, and he "seemed preoccupied." She indicated Holland stated that "she was going to hear about something on the news regarding a homicide in Waukesha." The woman said Holland told her the guy died from head trauma, and that Holland was only defending himself -- and that the other guy had "attacked him with a hammer."

Philip Holland was arrested on September 16th.

Holland provided a written statement and confession to authorities, according to the complaint.

The complaint indicates Holland stated that on the evening of September 13th, he went to Minkley's home and took some weed with him -- and that he and Minkley smoked together. Holland said Minkley was "acting goofy," and was upset with people.

Timothy Minkley

Holland then said he saw a hatchet near the front door of Minkley's home, and he grabbed it and slid it under the couch due to Minkley's behavior.

Holland told authorities he slept on the couch and Minkley slept in his bedroom.

The next morning, Holland told authorities Minkley woke up late for work and began to blame Holland for not setting an alarm. The complaint indicates Minkley was standing in the doorway of his living room -- reportedly holding a folding knife which was folded closed. Holland said he was standing face-to-face with Minkley, and he thought Minkley was going to hurt him.

Holland said he was holding the hatchet in his right hand, and he hit Minkley in the head with it, according to the complaint.

Philip Holland

Holland continued to hit Minkley with the hatchet, according to the complaint -- striking him "enough that (Holland) was sure he would die."

Holland told officials at one point, he went into "kill mode" and hit Minkley to ensure he was dead.

Then, Holland said he wrapped the hatchet in a cream-colored towel and left Minkley's home -- eventually throwing the hatchet into the Fox River, according to the complaint.

The complaint indicates when Holland was questioned about inconsistencies in his various statements to police, he "began to cry, stood up, hugged detectives and admitted Minkley never had a knife."

Holland said Minkley was "yelling and ranting" about it being Holland's fault he'd be late to work. An argument then ensued, and Holland claimed that Minkley had told him he should beat "Nicky's" brains out with a hammer -- pointing with his right arm towards the front door.

The complaint indicates the reason he initially claimed Minkley was armed because it would justify killing Minkley more than if Minkley didn't have anything in his hands.

The complaint further indicates pills that were found in Holland's apartment and in his vacuum cleaner matched pills Minkley had picked up from Walgreens in Waukesha on September 13th. Holland told officials he had given Minkley weed in exchange for the pills.

Suspicious death in Waukesha

Holland admitted to taking pills from Minkley's residence after killing him -- telling officials "Minkley wouldn't be needing them anymore."

When asked why he didn't just leave Minkley's home when Minkley got angry with him on that Monday morning -- the complaint indicates Holland said Minkley "got on his nerves, and his male ego made him stay."

The hatchet allegedly used by Holland to kill Minkley was recovered by authorities from the Fox River in Waukesha on September 17th.

Holland made his initial appearance in court on these charges on Monday afternoon, September 21st.

The court set $1 million cash bail for Holland. He will next be in court on September 23rd for a hearing.

Suspicious death in Waukesha