Milwaukee homicide; Menasha man accused in June 2024 fatal shooting

MILWAUKEE - A 32-year-old Menasha, Wisconsin man is accused of fatally shooting a woman near 42nd and Florist in June 2024. The accused is James Edwards – and he faces the following criminal counts: 

• First-degree reckless homicide
• Possession of a firearm by a felon

Prosecutor's case

What we know:

According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police responded to a shooting near 42nd and Florist early on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. Officers arriving on the scene located LaShawanda Shumpert and attempted life-saving measures. But she died from her injuries.

Investigators noted "extensive gunfire damage to the victim's residence including approximately ten (10) bullet strikes to the front door and door frame," the complaint says. There were also bullet strikes to the living room ceiling, east wall and bathroom. The complaint goes on to say investigators "recovered 27 fired 9mm cartridge casings. Those casings were analyzed at the Milwaukee Police Department Fusion Center and determined were all consistent with being fired by a single 9mm firearm." The complaint says the bullet damage was "consistent with a shooter standing in front of the residence and firing at the residence."

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Detectives recovered security video from a residence near the victim's home. The complaint says it "showed the white suspect vehicle described by (a witness)." The video showed the vehicle drove by the victim's residence. During a second pass, the driver appears to pull over briefly. The complaint notes the "passenger door appears to be a replacement door that is black in color, as opposed to the white car. The car then drives out of view.

The same video shows a suspect walking towards the victim's residence about four minutes later. Moments later, "muzzle flashes can be seen consistent with the suspect shooting at the residence. The video then shows the suspect run southbound, consistent with running back to the white car with the black door," the complaint says.

Based on the security video, authorities believed the vehicle to be a white 2010 Mercury Milan. A search of the Flock License Plate Reader System turned up a vehicle owned by a person who knew the defendant. On July 3, 2024, the vehicle was located and towed. Investigators were able to "recover a total of six latent fingerprints from the vehicle," the complaint says. Those prints were those of the defendant, officials said.

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Court filings say investigators also secured video clips from a camera system. A person provided those clips -- and "believes that the person in the video, whom she believes is the defendant, is confessing to killing the victim in this case," the complaint says.

Edwards made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Friday, Jan. 17. Cash bond was set at $200,000. 

What's next:

Edwards is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 27.