A 45-year-old Hispanic woman, Hermelinda Sierra de Arvelo, tragically lost her life on Saturday, March 5, 2016, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was discovered with fatal gunshot wounds alongside her 12-year-old son, Arturo Arvelo, in the basement of the National Hall building on the city's Southside. The grim discovery was made by her husband, Miguel Arvelo, when he returned home around 11:20 a.m. and immediately contacted the authorities.
Both Hermelinda and her son were pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly identified a suspect, Hermelinda's 41-year-old stepdaughter, Carmen Tina Arvelo Schwingle. According to police reports, Arvelo Schwingle had visited the family for breakfast that morning. Her father, Miguel Arvelo, had reportedly given her $1,500 to help her find an apartment before he left to run an errand. It was during his absence that the fatal shootings are believed to have occurred. Family members later indicated that Arvelo Schwingle had a history of mental illness, though this was not officially confirmed. It was also reported that she had recently purchased a handgun.
Later that same day, at approximately 12:45 p.m., passers-by discovered the body of Carmen Tina Arvelo Schwingle at McKinley Marina. She had sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Milwaukee Police identified her as the suspected shooter in the deaths of her stepmother and younger brother. The investigation that followed was treated as a homicide and suicide case.
