On Thanksgiving morning, November 23, 2023, a tragedy unfolded in a Milwaukee apartment that cut short the life of Al'Jevon Wilkins, a 17-year-old Black/African American male. The shooting occurred shortly before 11 a.m. inside a residence near 24th and Wells. Al'Jevon was asleep on a futon with his girlfriend when an intruder entered the apartment through an unlocked door.
The young woman awoke to the horrifying scene of her ex-boyfriend, 19-year-old Elijah Dent, standing over them.
Dent proceeded to shoot Wilkins at close range. An autopsy later confirmed that Al'Jevon suffered two gunshot wounds to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. After the shooting, Dent pointed the gun at his ex-girlfriend, who was making a frantic 911 call during which she became hysterical. A male voice could be heard in the background of the call saying, "you don't have to tell nobody I did that." Before police arrived, Dent fled the apartment.
The investigation quickly pointed to Elijah Dent as the primary suspect. The day after the killing, police located and arrested him at an apartment near Teutonia and Custer, where they discovered him hiding in a closet. Dent was subsequently charged with first-degree intentional homicide.
In January 2025, Elijah Dent pleaded guilty to the charge. A month later, he was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Al'Jevon Wilkins. Under the terms of his sentence, he will be eligible for consideration for extended supervision after serving 50 years.
