Dantel Henderson faces felony murder charge in connection with death of Deonte Thomas

MILWAUKEE -- 18-year-old Dantel Henderson faces a new felony murder charge in connection with the death of 17-year-old Deonte Thomas on Tuesday, December 27th. Henderson appeared in court on Friday, January 6th for what was supposed to be his preliminary hearing on a separate armed robbery party to a crime charge. Because of the new charge, the hearing was rescheduled for January 13th.

According to the amended criminal complaint, Henderson and Thomas planned to rob someone on Milwaukee's south side on the evening of December 27th. Around 10:30 p.m., they approached a man with a concealed carry permit just west of 63rd and Euclid. The complaint says "both men made demands for (the victim's) property. The gunman pressed the gun against the back of (the victim's) head; the second man patted him down."

63rd and Euclid



The complaint indicates "when it seemed that the robbers were about to discover (the victim's) concealed handgun, (the victim) pulled out the gun and fired several rounds at the gunman." The second man ran off down the street.

Thomas died on the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.

The complaint says about an hour after Thomas was shot,  police were called to Henderson's house "because Henderson was there with a gunshot wound to his arm." According to the complaint, at that time "Henderson was reporting that he had been shot while he was in a car on W. Silver Spring, but at the hospital he told an officer he was shot on the south side while he was with two friends who tried to rob someone."

Dantel Henderson



Henderson was previously charged with armed robbery party to a crime in connection with an incident that happened at Maryland and Park Pl. on Milwaukee's east side on Tuesday, December 27th.

If convicted on the felony murder charge, Henderson faces 35 years in prison. The armed robbery party to a crime charge comes with a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and $100,000 in fines.

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