In the late hours of a Friday night in Milwaukee, on August 30, 2019, a gathering of friends took a tragic turn, ending the life of 21-year-old Nathanael Zapata-Santiago. A Hispanic male, Nathanael was at a friend's home on Winona Lane, near Forest Home Avenue, enjoying an evening of drinking, smoking marijuana, and playing video games with his friend and his friend's girlfriend.
The casual atmosphere was shattered when three other Hispanic males entered the residence, ostensibly to purchase half a pound of marijuana in a deal arranged through Facebook.
The transaction, with an agreed-upon price of $1,800, quickly devolved into a robbery. Shortly after the marijuana was weighed, two of the three men brandished handguns, ordering everyone not to move. As the situation escalated, Nathanael Zapata-Santiago leaned forward on the couch, as if to stand up. In that moment, one of the assailants fired his weapon, striking Nathanael. The single gunshot wound to his chest and left arm proved to be fatal, perforating his aorta and both lungs. The three men then seized the marijuana and fled the house. A witness reported hearing more gunshots from the backyard as the suspects made their escape. Police were alerted to the gunshots by a ShotSpotter notification just after 10 p.m. and arrived to find Nathanael lying on the floor. Despite life-saving measures, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the homicide led to the swift arrests of three young men. On September 5, 2019, charges were filed against 17-year-old Ernesto Garcia, 18-year-old Fabian Herrera, and 17-year-old Jovany Jeronimo. All three were charged with one count of felony murder. According to prosecutors, the trio had planned to rob the dealer. Herrera was identified as having set up the drug deal, while Jeronimo was said to have arranged for transportation with the stated intention of taking the marijuana. Witnesses identified Ernesto Garcia as the individual who fired the fatal shot. Subsequently, Ernesto Garcia entered a no-contest plea to the charge of felony murder.
