Teen shot 8 times, body burned in stolen car; 4 charged
By Mariana La Roche
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MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Four people face charges in connection with the shooting death of 15-year-old Makai Neal, whose body was found in a burning stolen vehicle in Milwaukee.
Charles Edward Roby, 21, is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, mutilating a corpse, and weapons charges. DJ Jamyele Chandler, 24, Shatianna Williams, 21, and Shatise Williams, 39, face charges related to harboring a felon and assisting in the crime’s cover-up.
According to prosecutors, Neal was shot eight times inside a stolen Honda Accord near 38th and Sarnow streets on Feb. 10.
Investigators say Roby shot Neal after taking the 15-year-old’s firearm, which Roby claimed had been stolen from a friend.
Neal, who was shot multiple times, moved himself to the passenger seat while yelling to be taken to the hospital. Instead, according to witnesses, he got in the driver’s seat and started to drive away in the stolen Accord.
Roby later stated he “had to finish [Neal] off because he was going to tell on me if I took him to the hospital.” According to the court documents, Roby then said they had to burn the car because all of their prints were in it.
Police found Neal’s burned body in the passenger seat of the vehicle behind 2956 N. 26th Street around 9:05 p.m. that evening.
The medical examiner determined Neal suffered eight gunshot wounds before the vehicle was set ablaze.
Surveillance footage and cellphone records placed the defendants in the area during key times, prosecutors said. Video showed two defendants purchasing gasoline used to burn the vehicle in an alleged attempt to destroy evidence.
Roby and Chandler, both convicted felons, face additional weapons charges after police recovered firearms during search warrants. Roby was found with a modified fully automatic handgun.
All defendants are scheduled to appear in Milwaukee County Circuit Court. If convicted, Roby faces up to 60 years in prison for the homicide charge alone.
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