Milwaukee North Side Strangler

The Milwaukee North Side Strangler is the name given to serial killer Walter E. Ellis who raped and strangled seven women in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA between 1986 and 2007.^[1]

Investigation

The North Side Strangler victims were black women^[2] who ranged in age from 19 to 41.^[3][4] Milwaukee Police Department Homicide Detective Steven Spingola authored an e-magazine article, The Killer in Our Midst: the Case of Milwaukee's North Side Strangler, which chronicled his investigation of the homicides of Sheila Farrior and Florence McCormick.^[5] Trained in criminal background analysis, Spingola also provided a detailed profile of the killer, which Milwaukee talk-radio host and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Wagner described as "eerily accurate."^[6] Spingola, however, retired before Detectives Gilbert Hernandez and Kathy Hein, of the Milwaukee Police Department's cold case homicide unit, reexamined DNA evidence that linked a suspect to the homicides.^[7][8]

On September 7, 2009 Walter E. Ellis, 49, was arrested on suspicion of being the notorious serial killer. Ellis had been arrested 12 times between 1981 and 1998, when he was sentenced to five years for reckless endangerment.^[9] Ellis was initially charged with two counts of first degree intentional homicide and held on $1 million bail. The Milwaukee County district attorney's office later filed five new murder charges against him: three of intentional homicide and two under the previous statute of first degree murder.^[10][11] Initially represented by Attorney Russell Jones in defense of these claims, Ellis plead not guilty, and stood prepared to defend himself. Jones was withdrew from the case, and then on February 18, 2011, Ellis pleaded no contest to the seven murder charges and was therefore convicted despite not admitting his guilt.^[12] On February 24, 2011, Ellis was given seven life sentences, to be served consecutively, without the possibility of parole.^[13]

Name

The use of the name "North Side Strangler" in reference to the case has been limited to one local news organization, WTMJ, Channel 4, which is believed to have coined the nickname,^[14] although it has been picked up by some bloggers and by British media as well. Use of the nickname, however, has also been a subject of criticism in other Milwaukee media.^[15],^[16]

Victims

References