In the late summer of 2019, the life of Cherron Miller, a 31-year-old African American woman and mother of four, was tragically cut short. On September 12, in a Milwaukee apartment near 52nd and Locust, what began as a move toward a new beginning ended in a fatal act of violence. Miller had been in a relationship with 29-year-old Darnell Lamonte Kimble and had been staying at the residence. Seeking to end the unhealthy and tumultuous relationship, she had recently been asked to leave and returned that day simply to gather her personal belongings.
An argument broke out between Miller and Kimble as she was trying to retrieve her things. The dispute quickly escalated, and within arm's reach of each other, Miller swung her arms at Kimble. In response, Kimble produced a gun and fired, shooting her. The entire tragic event was witnessed by Kimble's own mother. After the shooting, Kimble fled the apartment. First responders arrived to find Miller on the floor with a gunshot wound. She was rushed to a local hospital, but despite medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries and passed away. An autopsy later recovered a spent bullet from her abdomen.
In the days following the shooting, police identified Darnell Kimble as the suspect. On September 18, 2019, he was charged with first-degree reckless homicide and possession of a firearm by a felon, as he had prior convictions for armed robbery and drug possession. An arrest warrant was issued, and he was taken into custody. However, the path to justice for Cherron Miller and her family would be fraught with delays. In November 2020, the case against Kimble was dismissed when a key witness, his mother, failed to appear in court to testify. For a time, Kimble was free. The case lay dormant for several years until May 2023, when prosecutors refiled the same charges against him, signaling a renewed effort to bring the case to trial.
