Kenneth Freeman, charged in murder of Carlie Beaudin, ordered committed for mental health treatment
Kenneth Freeman
MILWAUKEE -- Kenneth Freeman, the man charged in the murder of Carlie Beaudin, was found incompetent to proceed in the case against him and ordered committed for mental health treatment Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Freeman, 28, of Milwaukee, faces one count of first-degree intentional homicide.
He was in court Tuesday for a competency hearing, during which the state challenged the findings in a November doctor's report, while the defense did not. The doctor testified, and the court found Freeman incompetent to proceed, but likely to become competent. The court ordered he cannot refuse medication or treatment due to mental illness. He was committed for treatment, and given 146 days' credit for "recommitment incarceration." A court hearing was scheduled for Feb. 21, 2020 for the return of a doctor's report evaluating his competency, and a court trial was scheduled for March 2020.
According to a criminal complaint, Beaudin was found under her vehicle in Parking Structure #1 on Jan. 25, with injuries to the head and face. She was taken to the emergency room, where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy revealed she suffered blunt force trauma to the head and neck, "with indica of manual strangulation."
Carlie Beaudin (Daisy Foundation), Kenneth Freeman
A witness said he drove a skid loader to the top level of the structure to remove snow, and when he got to the top level, he discovered a vehicle "parked in a weird manner," with the front end up against a wall. He saw "a pair of legs" from under it, and attempted to use his intercom system to get help. He then called his boss, who contacted Froedtert security.
Homicide investigation at Froedtert Hospital parking structure
Investigators reviewed surveillance video from Parking Structure #5, which showed around 1 a.m., Beaudin exited the elevators on the second floor.
The complaint said Freeman was seen standing behind a concrete pillar, as Beaudin walked toward her vehicle. The video showed Freeman stepped out from behind the pillar and briefly spoke with Beaudin, who kept walking toward her vehicle. Freeman followed her, first walking and then running. He knocked her to the ground, and kicked or stomped her head and neck "almost 40 times," prosecutors said. He then dragged her from the camera's view toward her vehicle. The vehicle was then seen leaving the parking structure -- soon entering Parking Structure #1. The vehicle was observed going backwards once and then forwards, out of camera view, to the location where Beaudin was found, on the top level.
Freeman himself dialed 911, the complaint said. He reported he was involved in the death at Froedtert. He was taken into custody, and found with Beaudin's purse, the complaint said.
In a statement to investigators, prosecutors indicated Freeman said "he deliberately and purely murdered Ms. Willia" and when asked for more details, he said, "There isn't anything I want to talk about."
Officials with the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office initially said Beaudin was found trapped and partially frozen, under a vehicle, with deputies dispatched to the parking structure around 3:45 a.m. on Friday. She was pronounced dead at 4:21 a.m.
Carlie Beaudin