Hales Corners man admits to killing mother, tells police she was "affecting his life," so he "took her out"
MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- A charge of first degree intentional homicide has been filed against 40-year-old Robert Rozewicz of Hales Corners, in connection with the death of his mother, 68-year-old Julie Rozewicz. Hales Corners police had been searching for Julie Rozewicz since Friday, March 18th, when it was learned that she was missing. Partial human remains were found at the Emerald Park Landfill in Muskego on Monday, March 21st.
According to the criminal complaint, on Friday, police received a request to check the welfare of Julie Rozewicz. Police were unable to make telephone contact with her, and then went to her home on South 116th Street in Hales Corners.
There, police had contact with Rozewicz's son Robert. He indicated that his mother wasn't home, and that he hadn't seen her for days.
Robert Rozewicz
The complaint indicates Robert Rozewicz allowed officers into the home in an effort to locate his mother.
An officer noted that the carpeting on the landing and staircase had been partially removed.
Officers contacted hospitals and other communities in an effort to locate Julie Rozewicz, and they also attempted to locate her phone.
Emerald Park Landfill in Muskego
With the help of Verizon officials, police learned Julie Rozewicz's phone was located in the area of the Emerald Park Landfill in Muskego.
When officers returned to the Rozewicz home, the complaint indicates a large pool of blood was observed at the bottom of a garbage can, small blood spots on the stairs of the home, blood stains on a door to the garage and on the garage floor.
Robert Rozewicz was taken to the Hales Corners Police Department for questioning.
According to the complaint, during an interview with officers, Robert Rozewicz initially said he hadn't seen his mother for several days -- but then admitted to killing her. He told police "she was affecting his life," so he "took her out."
Search for missing 68-year-old Hales Corners woman
The complaint indicates Robert Rozewicz killed his mother three days before the interview with police -- indicating he killed her via suffocation. Rozewicz said that happened in the kitchen, and he said "it took about five minutes for her to stop breathing."
Rozewicz told officers he then "took a knife and stabbed her in the heart one time" so that she "wouldn't wake in the garbage can."
Prosecutors say Rozewicz then picked her up and placed his mother and the knife in a garbage can in the garage -- before cleaning up the house.
Rozewicz said he then placed the garbage can at the curb, and drove his mother's vehicle to a Pick 'n Save parking lot, where he left it.
Rozewicz told police he killed his mother because "she was always looking for little ways to hurt him -- including having the police take him to the (Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex)."
Search for missing 68-year-old Hales Corners woman
The complaint indicates that Rozewicz said on the day he killed his mother, she had done nothing to him, but he decided to kill her anyway. Rozewicz said he "didn't feel bad" about killing his mother.
The Emerald Park Landfill in Muskego was searched on March 19th and March 20th -- by Hales Corners police, officials with the Hales Corners Fire Department, officials with the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation, and Muskego police.
"What appeared to be human remains" were found on Sunday, March 20th.
A FOX6 News crew was there as a stream of unmarked vehicles left the property.
Emerald Park Landfill in Muskego
According to the complaint, the remains appeared to be a portion of the head, arms and abdomen. Using dental records, the remains were positively identified as Julie Rozewicz.
A neighbor of Julie and Robert Rozewicz told FOX6 News the last conversation she had with Julie Rozewicz was regarding help for her son's mental health issues.
The criminal complaint makes reference to a 2015 criminal case against Robert Rozewicz, charging him with fleeing. He was released from custody in that case on the condition he commit no further crimes.
According to a criminal complaint, Rozewicz took gas from a gas station without paying, and wouldn't stop for police.
Court documents show that during the court proceedings, the judge asked for a competency hearing, and Robert Rozewicz was found not competent to proceed. He was ordered committed for treatment for incompetency.