$500K bond for man accused in shooting death of mother, pistol whipping brother "until gun broke"
Kervin Pierce
OAK CREEK -- A man accused in the shooting death of his mother, and the brutal beating of his brother, who allegedly told investigators he "felt disrespected" by them and was upset over their nagging, was in court for the first time over the Christmas holiday weekend.
25-year-old Kervin Pierce made his initial appearance in court on Saturday, December 23rd. Probable cause was found for further proceedings, and a preliminary hearing was set for January 2nd. Cash bond was set at $500,000, with a stipulation indicating if no GPS monitors are available, cash bond would be $750,000.
Pierce faces the below charges for the incident that happened on December 19th at the Timber Ridge Apartments near 20th and Rawson:
Bonita Pierce
According to the criminal complaint, police received a 911 call from a man (later identified as Pierce) who said "there was a female inside of the residence that had been shot to the face and an unconscious male that had been pistol whipped." When officers arrived on the scene, they found Bonita Pierce deceased -- lying on the floor in a bedroom. Pierce's brother was found with injuries to his head and "a large amount of blood on his face."
When questioned by police about what happened, Pierce said "he has felt disrespected by both his mother and brother for 2 to 3 months and was very upset about that." On December 19th, Pierce said "he felt intense disrespect and was overwhelmed" -- and that "his mother was nagging him about little things."
Death investigation underway at apartment complex in Oak Creek
The complaint indicates Pierce said he shot his mother while she was laying in bed because he was "just fed up." The complaint says Pierce "planned to shoot his brother next, however the gun jammed." He said he intended to shoot both his mother and brother and then call the police. He admitted he was drinking prior to the attacks. He told investigators he'd received his CCW license approximately 4 months prior, and had purchased a firearm 5 months prior.
Prosecutors say Pierce told investigators he pistol whipped his brother "until the gun broke apart," then cutting his brother's face with a kitchen knife. He said he tried stabbing his brother, "but he could not get the knife through his hooded sweatshirt." His brother was determined to have suffered multiple skull fractures, several large lacerations to his face and bleeding around his brain.
Pierce was taken into custody when officers arrived on the scene. The knife and firearm were located on the kitchen table.
Oak Creek homicide scene
Incident after arrest at Milwaukee County Jail
On December 20th, while Pierce was at the Milwaukee County Jail, the criminal complaint says a correctional officer noticed Pierce "pacing by the phone banks." The correctional officer completed a phone call from the medical unit and when she put the receiver down, "the defendant grabbed her throat, shook her with both hands, and threw her to the ground while continuing to strangle her." The officer's radio fell from her belt -- and she had no way to call for help.
The complaint indicates the attack against the correctional officer lasted about 15 seconds and "ended when three inmates intervened by pulling the defendant off" the officer until security staff arrived.