In the cold of a Milwaukee winter, the search for Antwone J. Berry, a 33-year-old Black/African American male, came to a tragic end. Berry had been missing since Christmas Eve of 2017, last seen at the Dirty Dozen Clubhouse. His girlfriend reported him missing on December 28th, setting off a search that would last for two agonizing weeks for his family and friends.
The grim discovery was made on January 7, 2018, when his body was found in a shallow ditch in a wooded area near Fond du Lac Avenue and the Little Menomonee River Parkway.
An initial investigation by the Milwaukee Police Department revealed that Berry had suffered from gunshot wounds, and his death was quickly ruled a homicide. An autopsy would later confirm that he had been shot twice, once in the head and once in the abdomen. As investigators pieced together the final hours of Berry's life, they learned he was last seen alive at a gathering near 39th and Florist in the early hours of Christmas Day. It was there that an argument reportedly broke out between Berry and a close friend.
Suspicion soon fell upon 34-year-old Skylard Grant, a man described as a good friend of Berry. According to the criminal complaint, the dispute between the two men was over money that Berry had allegedly failed to send to Grant while he was previously incarcerated. Witnesses stated that Grant, who was intoxicated, argued with Berry before he was killed. Following the murder, Grant allegedly attempted to sell a handgun that belonged to Berry. When asked about Berry's whereabouts by a potential buyer, Grant chillingly replied, "You ain't gonna be seeing him no more. I had to take care of him."
Investigators utilized phone records and surveillance video which placed Grant's vehicle near the scene where Berry's body was discovered. Grant was arrested on January 4, 2018, even before Berry's body had been found. In March 2019, Skylard Grant pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless homicide. Despite his guilty plea, at his sentencing Grant denied killing his friend, though he accepted responsibility for his actions. In April 2019, a judge sentenced Grant to 23 years, with 14 of those to be served in prison.
