Milwaukee mother shot, killed; man accused of reckless homicide
Olijejuan Jelks
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man is accused in an October shooting that left a mother dead.
Prosecutors charged 34-year-old Olijejuan Jelks with first-degree reckless homicide and two gun felonies in the case. Court records show he is being held in the Milwaukee County Jail on $200,000 bond.
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The shooting happened on Oct. 11 near 25th and Kilbourn. Police were called to the scene around 9:45 p.m. that night. The victim, since identified as 29-year-old Anita Smith, died at the scene.
According to prosecutors, a witness said Smith and her 10-month-old baby had just laid down to sleep when he heard multiple gunshots coming from outside the home. The witness felt broken glass and grabbed the baby to try to shield him when he saw Smith had been shot. He then cried out for someone to call 911.
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A criminal complaint states detectives noted multiple bullet strikes to the outside of the home, and at least two bullets went through windows into the room where Smith had been shot. They later found surveillance video that showed the shooting; 10 gunshots could be heard.
Court filings said multiple cameras throughout the neighborhood captured the shooter as he left an apartment building 25 minutes before the shooting, headed toward the scene, fired shots, left the scene and returned to the same apartment building after the shooting. Video from that apartment building "clearly" showed the shooter's face.
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Days after the shooting, police got a tip that "Mook" was responsible for the homicide, according to prosecutors. A search of Milwaukee Police Department records found that Jelks had "Mook" listed as a known alias. Based on a prior booking photo, detectives identified Jelks as the shooter seen on surveillance.
Additional records showed Jelks was under active supervision with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections for a prior felony drug conviction. The complaint states Jelks' probation agent then identified him as the man in the video, as did several people who knew him.
Police were looking for Jelks near 15th and Fond du Lac on Nov. 1. When an officer approached Jelks, the complaint states he saw Jelks "maneuver his hands near his waistband" and then heard a "heavy metal object striking concrete pavement." Jelks was arrested, and a handgun was found on the sidewalk where the officer heard the metal strike concrete.