Milwaukee boy’s body in dumpster; 2 charged

Charges filed in death of 5-year-old boy

Two people are now charged in connection with a 5-year-old boy in Milwaukee.

MILWAUKEE - Charges are now filed against two people in connection with the death of 5-year-old Prince McCree, whose body was found in a dumpster hear Hawley and Vliet on Thursday, Oct. 26.

David Pietura

The accused are 27-year-old David Pietura and a 15-year-old (not named or pictured) – both of Milwaukee. They each face the following criminal counts:

First-degree intentional homicide (Pietura and 15-year-old)
Physical abuse of a child, repeated acts causing death (Pietura and 15-year-old)
Hiding a corpse (Pietura and 15-year-old)
First-degree recklessly endangering safety, 3 counts (15-year-old)

McCree was last seen near 54th and Meinecke in Milwaukee and reported missing Wednesday night. His body was found around 9 a.m. Thursday morning near Hawley and Vliet – roughly a mile from where he was last seen.

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Prosecutors say Pietura lived in the basement of the home where Prince McCree and his family lived. On Oct. 25, prosecutors say Prince's mom let him go play video games in the basement. When she got up later, she could not find him – and called police.

Police presence near Hawley and Vliet, Milwaukee

Prosecutors say while searching the home, a police K-9 smelled decomposition on some sweatshirts. A detective also noticed blood. The criminal complaint says Pietura initially denied any involvement. Prosecutors say he told police he walked in on the 15-year-old choking and beating Prince. Prosecutors say the 15-year-old told police he was playing with Prince and got rough. Prosecutors say the 15-year-old choked the 5-year-old and hit him with a golf club multiple times. The criminal complaint details other gruesome abuse details the boy endured before his death.

Police presence near Hawley and Vliet, Milwaukee

When police interviewed Pietura, he said he was playing video games and then went on a walk with the 15-year-old. Pietura said they walked to a park and got back around 2 p.m. Prosecutors say GPS from Pietura's cellphone contradicts that information – and police arrested Pietura for obstruction at that point.

Surveillance footage from Wednesday also shows Pietura and the 15-year-old walking in an alley near Cherry Street around 2 p.m. They are seen carrying a white garbage bag. The next day, around 7:45 a.m. in an interview with police, Pietura admitted where McCree's body was. An hour later, McCree's body was found.

Milwaukee boy's body in dumpster; 2 charged

Charges are now filed against two people in connection with the death of 5-year-old Prince McCree, whose body was found in a dumpster hear Hawley and Vliet.

Prosecutors say both defendants took part in the crime.

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Pietura and the 15-year-old are both expected to appear in court at some point this week.

Family reaction

On Monday, family of McCree told FOX6 News they want to remember Prince as a happy kindergartner who just lost his second baby tooth – and loved Transformers and Spider-Man.

A GoFundMe online fundraiser was established for McCree's family.

This is a developing story.

Crime and Public Safety Milwaukee News