MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A court hearing was held on Tuesday, February 19th for the five people accused in the murder of Evon Young.
The five men charged in connection with the death of Evon Young pleaded not guilty during their preliminary hearings on January 31st. All five men will stand trial in the case.
37-year-old Ron Allen, 23-year-old Devin Seaberry, 26-year-old Billy Griffin, 18-year-old Ashanti Mcalister, 27-year-old Victor Stewart face first-degree intentional homicide charges. The charges come with a maximum life in prison sentence upon conviction.
The defendants were not in the court room on Tuesday -- only their lawyers were present for the scheduling conference.
According to the criminal complaint in the case, the five defendants were at Young’s home when his roommate accused Young of stealing. Investigators say the defendants took Young to the basement, put a bag over his head, beat him with tools and took turns strangling him with a chain before ending his life with three gunshots.
Detective Timothy Graham has testified about what Victor Stewart told him.
"He indicated that defendant McAllister struck the victim twice in the face with the semi-automatic handgun while in the kitchen," Graham said.
Graham says according to Stewart, Young still did not know how much danger he was in.
"He said the victim was cooperative and the victim didn't believe that he was going to be killed, and he followed them into the basement," Graham said.
Graham also said Allen put a plastic bag over Young's head that broke, and then choked Young with a chain.
"He indicated that Mr. McAllister fired three shots at the victim," Graham said.
The five are accused of wrapping Young's body in a bed sheet. Then, Allen is accused of leaving the house and returning with duct tape and bleach, and a change of clothes for himself and Allen. Allen is accused of duct taping Young's feet and hands.
The men are accused of tossing Young's body in a dumpster after killing him. Search crews were sorting through a landfill in Menomonee Falls this week, but that search was ended.
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