1 1/2 years in prison for man who fatally shot Milwaukee mother of 4
Deonte Wilkins
MILWAUKEE - A 24-year-old Milwaukee man was sentenced to one-and-a-half years in prison for the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Raven Coley, a mother of four young children, near 23rd and Kilbourn on Feb. 4.
Deonte Wilkins pleaded guilty to one count of homicide by negligent handling of a dangerous weapon on June 23. In total Wilkins' sentence spans four years -- up to two-and-half-years of that sentence may be served as extended supervision. He was and given credit for 17 days served.
According to a criminal complaint, officers found Coley suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. The Milwaukee County medical examiner ruled her death a homicide as the result of a single gunshot wound to the head.
The complaint states that Wilkins was alone with Coley, tending to her wound, and told police at the scene that a stranger had broken into the apartment. Detectives found no signs of forced entry.
A witness told police that they heard Wilkins on the phone moments before the shooting, talking to someone about the gun that he was holding. After hearing the gunshot, the witness came out of the bathroom and said Wilkins was jumping up and down and screaming. He allegedly told the witness that he accidentally shot Coley.
Raven Coley
The witness also said that another man was in the apartment at the time, and that that man wrapped up Wilkins' gun and left.
Coley's children at the time of the shooting were 8, 5, 1 and under 1 year old.