Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee homicide; woman found dead in alley, man charged
MILWAUKEE – A 31-year-old Milwaukee man has been criminally charged in connection to a homicide that occurred on Saturday, Nov. 23. The victim was found dead in an alley on Milwaukee’s south side.
The accused, Joshua Santos, is charged with one count of first degree intentional homicide.
According to the criminal complaint, Milwaukee police were dispatched to the area of 8th and Becher around 7:30 a.m. for reports of a subject down in an alley. The 911 caller indicated that there was a woman lying in the alley and that it looked like she’d “been dumped there,” the complaint states.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Officer determined the cause of death as probable asphyxia due to strangulation, per the complaint.
Detectives recovered security footage from the alleyway. This video captured a light green or light gray sedan, believed to be a Lexus ES sedan. Officials were able to track down the vehicle using the license plate reader database. When authorities arrived at the listed address, they located the 2003 Lexus ES Sedan parked outside.
Per the complaint, the owner of the vehicle told detectives that on Nov. 22 she let a friend of hers known as “Josh Santos” use the vehicle. She stated that Santos dropped her off at work at 2 p.m. on Nov. 22 and then picked her up again in her Lexus that same day at approximately 11 p.m.
She claims as she exited work on Nov. 22 and went to her vehicle, Santos was in the back seat, with another person she believed to be a female. The vehicle owner indicated that the female was covered by a blanket – and that she smelled a strong odor coming from the back seat. Santos allegedly told her that someone had thrown up in the back seat, court filings say.
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The owner of the Lexus told investigators she did not see the person under the blanket move or get out of the vehicle at any time.
The owner of the Lexus stated they eventually drove to her residence and remained there until 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. on Nov. 23. She stated when they arrived at her house, the female was still in the back seat, fully covered with a blanket – and that she remained in the car underneath the blanket the whole time they were at her residence. She told investigators she thought the female was just drunk.
The owner of the Lexus claims that between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Nov. 23, Santos stated to her “let’s get ready to go”. The woman stated she got up and they both re-entered the Lexus. Once inside the vehicle, the woman claims she reached back and touched the female and found her to be still, “hard to the touch” and cold, according to the criminal complaint.
The woman stated she began to drive and followed Santos’ directions going in and out of numerous alleys on the south side of Milwaukee. She stated that while driving in one of the alleys, Santos climbed through the car to the back seat and ordered her to stop the vehicle. The vehicle owner stated Santos then opened the rear door to the vehicle and physically pushed the female out of the car and into the alley.
According to the complaint, the vehicle owner told detectives that she and Santos then went to a Dollar Tree where she bought “Spick and Span” cleaner and towels. She stated that she and Santos then spent 15 to 20 minutes cleaning the feces and blood out of the car. She stated that Santos did not tell her much about the female, and that “all he told me was, sorry,” the complaint states.
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After cleaning out her vehicle, she claims she drove Santos to the bus stop at the intersection of Kinnickinnic Avenue and Oklahoma Avenue, where she dropped him off and he exited her vehicle.
In custody
Per the complaint, during an interview with investigators, Santos admitted to killing the victim and dumping her body in an alley. He allegedly told detectives that while driving his friend’s car, he decided he wanted to get some cocaine and drove to the area of 18th and Greenfield on Nov. 22. Santos stated that a woman got into his car at that location, and that she had the “hook up” for drugs and that they needed to find her supplier. They allegedly drove around Greenfield until they found a van and the woman got $40 worth of crack and cocaine.
Santos told detectives that he snorted the cocaine and the woman smoked the crack cocaine. Santos stated that the reason that he went to this woman is because prostitutes always know where to get drugs, according to the complaint.
Santos told investigators that the woman then became angry, and was acting weird and wanted “more drugs, more money, more everything,” per the complaint.
Court filings say Santos stated that he sometimes sees and hears things and that his head was “weird” during that time with the woman. He said something in him “snapped” and he admitted to strangling the victim with a belt. Santos allegedly told detectives he strangled the victim to “get her to shut up, stop asking for stuff” but stated he doesn’t really know and doesn’t really remember why he did it, per the complaint.
Initial appearance
Santos made his initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Sunday, Dec. 1. Cash bond was set at $350,000. The court also ordered a competency examination for Santos.
Authorities say a Milwaukee man entered Milwaukee German Immersion School in November without identifying himself, then punching the principal in the face.
Online court records indicate Josiah Glenn, 25, is expected to make his initial court appearance on March 12 before a court commissioner.
He faces a single count of battery to a school district officer.
Milwaukee County prosecutors allege in a criminal complaint that Glenn went to the school at 4:25 p.m. on Nov. 21 to pick up his brother. Normal pick-up time is 4 p.m., so the student was sent to an after-school “camp program.”
Glenn told a school employee at the school entrance he was there to pick up his brother, but refused to identify himself and made his way past the employee and into the school, the complaint says.
He then left with the child and the principal ran after them to make sure the boy “wasn’t being kidnapped,” and to ensure Glenn left the premises, according to the complaint.
The complaint says Glenn began to threaten the principal and the employee, who the principal instructed to call police.
Glenn got into the principal’s face as he was about to get into a car then punched the principal in the face, the document reads.
Court records show Glenn initially was charged on Jan. 26, and that a warrant for his arrest was issued that day.
Milwaukee County Jail records indicate he was placed into custody on March 10, and the charges against him are pending.
Battery to a school district officer is a class-I felony that is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and a maximum three and a half years imprisonment.
Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@usatodayco.com.
Drone view of the data center under construction in Port Washington
Check out a drone view of the Vantage Data Center under construction in Port Washington, Wisconsin.
Construction on a stretch of Forest Home Avenue in Milwaukee County is set to resume as part of a Wisconsin Department of Transportation resurfacing project, according to WisDOT.
The project affects Highway 24 — also known as Forest Home Avenue — between Janesville Road in Hales Corners and 45th Street in Milwaukee. The project started in early 2025 and is expected to be completed in mid-2026.
Here’s what to know about the latest construction update.
When will Forest Home Avenue construction resume?
Preparation work for construction along Forest Home Avenue is expected to begin the week of March 16, according to WisDOT.
Active construction work is scheduled to begin the week of March 23, weather permitting.
Where will construction be?
Construction work will take place in two segments along the corridor. The segment between 45th Street and Howard Avenue is already largely complete and will include minor lighting work and restoration.
The segment between Howard Avenue and Janesville Road will include resurfacing, permanent pavement markings, guardrail installation and improvements at several intersections.
What work will be done during construction?
The Highway 24 project will improve about 5 miles of roadway. The work includes resurfacing pavement, replacing traffic signals and lighting at numerous locations, making improvements to the bridge at 76th Street and upgrading sidewalks and curb ramps.
Traffic impacts during Forest Home Avenue construction in Milwaukee County
During construction, Highway 24 will be reduced to one lane in each direction in active work zones. Drivers may also encounter parking lane restrictions, overnight or short-term closures at ramps and intersections, and temporary pedestrian detours.
Access to businesses and residences along the corridor will be maintained during construction.
When will the project be completed?
The project is currently scheduled to be completed in early summer, though WisDOT says the timeline may change depending on weather conditions.
Adrienne Davis is a south suburban reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County leaders are moving forward with a plan to collect unpaid fees owed to the medical examiner’s office by funeral homes.
What we know:
A Milwaukee County committee on Tuesday, March 10, advanced legislation allowing the county attorney to pursue collections from funeral homes with large outstanding debts owed to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Earlier this year, the medical examiner’s office began requiring funeral homes with outstanding balances of $25,000 or more to pay fees up front for services such as death certificates, cremation permits and body transport. Funeral homes collect those fees from families and are expected to pass them along to the county.
What they’re saying:
“What is the overall number we’re waiting on?” asked Milwaukee County Supervisor Sky Capriolo.
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“We do list 18 funeral homes that have a balance, currently, of $25,000 or more,” said Timothy Schabo, Milwaukee County Medical Examiner operations manager.
“Our hope is that, certainly, we’ll be able to avoid any litigation,” said William Davidson, deputy corporation counsel.
“If a family is paying a funeral home for services, and someone at the funeral home is not paying the county, where is that money going? We don’t know?” Capriolo asked.
Officials say it is not uncommon for funeral homes to carry large balances, and some are already aware of their debts, are on payment plans or pay quarterly.
The medical examiner says if families cannot pay and qualify for assistance from the state or county, those fees are waived.
“I understand there is some delay for some families receiving assistance from this program,” Milwaukee County Medical Examiner Dr. Wieslawa Tlomak said. “However, the funeral homes that we are talking about haven’t been paying us for a long period of time.”
Dig deeper:
The medical examiner said the outstanding balances continue to grow.
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Medical examiner records show four Milwaukee funeral homes currently owe a combined $1,324,100, including one funeral home with a balance of more than $512,000.
FOX6 reached out to the funeral homes for comment but has not heard back.
The legislation now heads to the full Milwaukee County Board for consideration.
The Source: FOX6 attended the Milwaukee County committee hearing regarding the funeral home debt.
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