On a quiet street in Milwaukee, a tragedy unfolded on December 8, 2021, ending the life of 54-year-old Jeazell Woodruff, a Black female. The shocking events took place inside a residence near 49th and Oklahoma, where police were called for a welfare check. Upon entering the home, officers discovered a grim scene with four deceased individuals, all having sustained fatal gunshot injuries.
Investigators quickly determined the incident to be a murder-suicide.
It is believed that 49-year-old Fredrick Holmes, who resided in the downstairs unit with Woodruff, was the perpetrator. The investigation concluded that Holmes shot and killed Woodruff, along with two other victims who lived in the upstairs unit of the building. The other victims were identified as 42-year-old Jason M. Wilhelm and 7-year-old Kevin James Becker-Wilhelm.
After taking the lives of three innocent people, including a young child, Holmes then turned the gun on himself, dying from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed the identities of all four individuals involved. While the motive for this horrific act remains unclear, authorities have stated that there is no ongoing threat to the public. The investigation into the circumstances that led to this devastating loss of life is ongoing.
