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‘I’m at peace’: Sister of Milwaukee man killed in road rage incident will pray for now-confessed gunman

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‘I’m at peace’: Sister of Milwaukee man killed in road rage incident will pray for now-confessed gunman


Romonia Butler-Foster let deep-seated feelings of anger and acrimony simmer insider her for more than a year.

All of them were directed at Demetreon T. Caston-Townsend, the Milwaukee man who police said gunned down her brother in front of four of his children and sped away.

She felt the same way Monday as she strode into a Milwaukee County courtroom for what was the latest hearing for the accused killer.

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Then, it happened: Caston-Townsend, sitting at a defendant’s table, just a few feet away from her, uttered the words she had long awaited.

And just like that, her heart felt differently. Lighter.

“To hear him tell the judge ‘I’m guilty …’ That ‘I’m the one guilty of this crime’ … it was just a release,” said Butler-Foster, 53. “I needed to hear that.” 

‘I can breathe again’

On Monday, Caston-Townsend pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless homicide in Ronald “Hollywood” Butler’s July 19, 2022, death.

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Police said someone opened fire on his van at Mill Avenue and 89th Street, on the city’s northwest side. Four of Butler’s children — ages 2, 9, and 10-year-old twins at the time — were riding with him when the shooting occurred.

They saw the moment their father died. Caston-Townsend now admits to pulling the trigger and killing Butler as his children looked on.

“I can breathe again because I know the man who is responsible for killing my brother is locked up,” Butler-Foster said.

Ronald Butler’s children witnessed his slaying

According to a criminal complaint, a Chevy Equinox ran a red light at the intersection and nearly collided with Butler’s van.

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One of Butler’s sons would later recount for investigators in the complaint how Butler yelled at the other driver to stop speeding because there are kids in the car. That’s when a shot was fired; the son recalled seeing his father slumped over in the driver’s seat.

The van came to a stop after hitting a light pole.

No arrests were made initially; the gunman had eluded police for months. Caston-Townsend was arrested about eight months after the shooting.

Prosecutors dismissed a count of first-degree recklessly endangering safety that Caston-Townsend also faced. That charge still will be read in and considered at sentencing March 29.

Butler-Foster said she leans heavily on her faith to get through the grief of losing her brother, whom she described as a friendly, outgoing protector who doted on family and would “give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.”

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Each morning, Butler-Foster passes Graceland Cemetery, at 43rd and Mill, on the way to her job as a school bus driver. Her brother is buried there. 

“I tell him ‘Good morning’ every day … (And) I tell him good night every time I pass him on my way home,” she said.

Butler-Foster has been concentrating more on helping raise her brother’s children.

While Butler-Foster says the man Caston-Townsend deserves a long prison sentence, she’s at “a place of peace.” She said she also plans to pray for the killer and his family.

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“They’re going to lose their baby,” Butler-Foster said. “I’m gonna put it in God’s hands, because I know I wouldn’t want to go through anything like this.”

“If he doesn’t serve a day in prison, I’m at peace. My brother is resting, and I know he’s looking down on us, watching over us.”



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Milwaukee, WI

Critically missing Milwaukee man; last seen near Teutonia and Good Hope

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Critically missing Milwaukee man; last seen near Teutonia and Good Hope


The Milwaukee Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a critically missing man, 33-year-old Nicolas Blakely.  

Missing man

What we know:

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Blakely was last seen around 9:45 p.m. on Monday, March 9 in the area of Teutonia and Good Hope. 

Blakely is described as a male, black, 6’1″ tall, 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.  He was last seen wearing a blue puffy jacket over a white hooded sweatshirt, with tan Nike sweatpants. 

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Police tips

What you can do:

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Anyone with information is asked to call the Milwaukee Police Department District 4 at 414-935-7242.  

The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee Police Department. 

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Milwaukee, WI

10 months after fatal hit-and-run that killed motorcyclist, Milwaukee man charged

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10 months after fatal hit-and-run that killed motorcyclist, Milwaukee man charged


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A 23-year-old Milwaukee man has been charged in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 44-year-old motorcyclist during the summer last year.

Jarvis L. Walker was charged March 7 with four counts: hit-and-run resulting in death, knowingly operating a vehicle without a valid license causing death, fleeing an officer and first-degree recklessly endangering safety.

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The crash occurred June 7, 2025, at the intersection of North 76th Street and West Florist Avenue. Walker crashed into Wyman Kemble on his 2002 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and fled the scene, according to a criminal complaint.

Kemble suffered severe injuries in the crash and died at the scene.

Police said nearby security footage video shows Kemble was traveling northbound on 76th Street and had a green light when Walker, traveling southbound on 76th Street, crashed a rental car into Kemble while trying to make a left turn onto Florist Avenue.

Walker then exits the vehicle, grabs a backpack from the backseat and leaves the scene, the complaint said.

But a witness’ cellphone footage shows Walker return, yell something, and turn around and walk away before getting into another vehicle that just pulled over, according to the complaint.

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The rental car came back to a person only identified in the complaint with the initials EW. The rental car customer told police that Walker had the vehicle during the time of the crash and Walker called him and told him that he had just been in a crash after a motorcycle ran a red light.

Ten months would pass before investigators zeroed in on Walker to arrest him.

On March 3, police had reason to believe that Walker was in the area of the 7200 block of West Marine Drive, the complaint said. Two undercover officers observed Walker get into an SUV, which exited a nearby parking lot and then immediately pulled over because the trunk was open, the complaint said.

Different officers in full uniform and an MPD squad moved in to try and arrest Walker, who was at the rear of the vehicle in the trunk, according to the complaint.

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Walker then made his way back to his seat before one officer activated the squad lights and siren and exited the squad to say “Hey Jarvis, don’t do it” and “Jarvis get out of the car,” the complaint said.

But Walker fled the scene and led police on a nearly 10-mile pursuit in excess of 115 miles per hour, according to the complaint.

Police lost visual sight of Walker’s vehicle near North Teutonia Avenue and North Green Bay Avenue, but Glendale police observed the vehicle traveling southbound on West Green Bay Road and another short pursuit ensued before officers lost sight of Walker again, the complaint said.

Later that evening, Walker’s vehicle was observed unoccupied and running in the 4800 block of North 19th Place, according to the complaint. Police found Walker inside a nearby residence and arrested him.

Walker made his initial appearance in court on March 9, where bail was set at $25,000. If convicted on all counts, he faces decades behind bars.

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Wyman Kemble remembered as mother’s rock

Leanne Kemble, Wyman Kemble’s mother, previously told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel at the time of the crash that Wyman was her oldest child and her “rock.”

She said her son loved the motorcycle he was riding at the time of his death. She described him as one of the most “kind, caring and fun-loving people you’d ever meet.”

Leanne Kemble said her son graduated from Riverside High School, where he played on the football team, and was a graduate of Milwaukee Area Technical College. Volleyball was now his sport of choice, and he played year-round, she said.

“He was always helping people with their car repairs, or just doing odd jobs to help out our neighbors,” she said. “He was an all-around great person. Everybody loved him.”



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Milwaukee Public Schools budget proposals; board meeting Monday

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Milwaukee Public Schools budget proposals; board meeting Monday


MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius proposed cutting more than 263 non-classroom positions to help bridge a $46 million structural budget deficit.

A special meeting of the Milwaukee Board of School Directors is scheduled to take place on Monday night, March 9, to vote on this proposal. 

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Shifting resources

What we know:

The district said the reductions, which would take effect for the 2026–27 school year pending school board approval, would save about $30 million.

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“It is an extremely difficult day for us here in Milwaukee Public Schools, but in the end, I’m still hopeful. I’m hopeful for our students, I’m hopeful for all of the employees we have, and every single employee matters to us,” said Cassellius. “This is hard, and we’ll get through it.”

Officials said no classroom teacher positions are being cut to close the budget gap. That said, the district may need fewer teachers where there is lower enrollment. About 40 of the 263 positions being eliminated are already vacant, meaning that not all reductions will result in layoffs. Affected employees eligible for classroom-based roles will be encouraged to apply for available positions.

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Cassellius stressed that MPS faces rising costs while receiving a $0 state increase in general aid for 2026-27 public school students. While the recent referendum has helped to support arts, physical education, mental health services, and career exploration, the superintendent indicated it does not make up for the lack of state-funded inflation increase

Proposed reductions

By the numbers:

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The approximately 263 position reductions include the following, according to the school district:

  • MPS Central Services: About 116 positions from the offices of Academics; Communications; Family, Community, and Partnership; Finance; Human Resources; Operations; Schools office; and the Superintendent’s office
  • Non‑classroom school‑based roles: About 147 positions, including assistant principals, deans of students, and implementers.

The Source: Milwaukee Public Schools released information about its proposal.

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