Of six people recently killed in “execution style” shootings in a Milwaukee home, three were reportedly set to testify in an upcoming murder trial, according to police.
The bodies were found on Sunday afternoon.
According to police, officers were called to perform a wellness check on the house. When they entered, they found the bodies of Caleb Jordan, 23; Javoni Liddell, 31; Charles Hardy, 42; Donald Smith, 43; Donta Williams, 44; and Michelle Williams, 49.
It is not immediately clear how long the individuals were dead before they were found.
Three of the individuals – not named by police – were set to testify as witnesses in a Milwaukee County murder trial, according to local broadcaster WISN. The details of the case are currently not known.
Police said they have arrested four individuals they consider “people of interest”, but have not named them. None of the four have been charged.
On Monday, investigators discovered that a woman called 911 to report she had been shot approximately 12 hours before the victims were found. Police said they responded to two locations but could not find any victims.
That caller was later found and it was discovered she had not been injured. It is not known if the woman was connected to the shootings.
“We are still looking into all angles. Obviously, you never want to use one explanation for a particular incident and stick to that; understanding that there might be some other angles we have to explore,” Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said when asked if the six were killed in connection to the three individuals' upcoming testimony.
“At this time, we're pretty sure that that is not relative to this particular incident, but we never want to take away any particular explanation for what we're finding in this investigation.”
Police said it was likely that the victims knew their killers.
The victims’ families said their loved ones were killed “execution style” and said multiple shooters were involved.
They said they did not know who would have wanted their loved ones dead.
Police are investigating whether or not the shootings were a revenge execution to prevent the individuals from testifying in the murder trial.
“I would never think this would happen to my family,” Ronald Smith, the brother of two of the victims - Donald Smith and Donta Williams, told Fox News.
He said his brother helped community members by taking in individuals with nowhere else to go.
“He took people in when they don’t have a place to go. I don’t know why somebody would do this to them. I don’t,” he said.
