Judge orders Milwaukee man suspected in serial killings of 7 women to stand trial
By APWednesday, September 23, 2009
Milwaukee man ordered to trial in serial killings
MILWAUKEE — A judge has ordered a Milwaukee man accused of killing seven women over 21 years to stand trial.
Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Dallet ruled after a preliminary hearing Wednesday that there was enough evidence to try 49-year-old Walter Ellis. He is charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree murder.
Prosecutors say Ellis’ DNA was found on the women and two others, all of whom died between 1986 and 2007. Ellis has not been charged in the two other slayings.
All nine women linked to Ellis ranged in age from 16 to 41.
After the hearing, defense attorney Russell Jones entered not guilty pleas for Ellis.
Dallet set the trial to begin May 3.
