WI DOJ State Crime Lab Identifies Milwaukee's Serial Murder Suspect

MILWAUKEE - Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen today participated with Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett to announce the unsealing of a criminal complaint in the arrest of Walter E. Ellis. This, authorities believe, resolves a series of serial killings in and around Milwaukee.

District Attorney John Chisholm and Police Chief Edward Flynn  praised the work of the State Crime Lab and the cooperative efforts of the Cold Case Task Force that moved the resolution of this case forward.

"I commend the Milwaukee Police Department. The District Attorney's Office, together with the Wisconsin Department of Justice's tireless efforts allowed for the arrest in these series of crimes," said Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Milwaukee Police Department with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice's cold case investigators and the Wisconsin Department of Justice's State Crime Lab. The prosecution is being handled by District Attorney John Chisholm.

"Prioritizing crime fighting and cooperative partnerships make our communities safer," said Van Hollen.

Additional information on the DOJ's cold case investigation grant is available here.

Questions concerning this case should be directed towards District Attorney Chisholm.

For additional background information on the case, please check out the following articles by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

• Suspect arrested in serial prostitute killings
• DNA links 7^th woman to suspected serial killer
• Police suspect serial killer in deaths of 6 Milwaukee women over 21 years
• With added lab staff, DNA tests resolve string of old killings

 A defendant enjoys the presumption of innocence. The prosecution must prove its allegations at trial beyond a reasonable doubt.