A Milwaukee teenager now admits he played a deadly role in the brutal beating death nearly three years ago of 5-year-old Prince McCree.
Erik Mendoza was 16 when prosecutors say he helped David Pietura club the young boy with a barbell, a 70-pound concrete birdfeeder and a golf club in October 2023.
On Feb. 16, he pleaded guilty to first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse and three counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety.
The plea came moments before the start of his trial before Circuit Court Judge Michelle A. Havas.
Prince was reported missing from his home in the 2400 block of North 54th Street in Milwaukee on Oct. 25, 2023. His battered body was found the next morning about a mile south, on the 5500 block of West Vliet Street.
Pietura pleaded guilty in June 2024 to first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime, and is now serving a life sentence.
Mendoza will be sentenced June 5.
In Wisconsin, children as young as 10 can be charged as adults for certain serious crimes, such as first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide, at least to start the case.
Lesser charges, such as attempted first-degree reckless homicide or attempted second-degree intentional homicide, start in juvenile court.
Lawyers for Mendoza, who turned 19 last month, initially attempted to move his case into juvenile court, a process known as a reverse waiver. They later withdrew the waiver application, and the matter proceeded in adult court.
Prince’s death prompted vigils, including one by the trash bins where his body was dumped. It also provided the political momentum for efforts to change and strengthen a Wisconsin law aimed at protecting children.
In April 2024, Gov. Tony Evers signed the PRINCE Act into law, which expands the state’s missing person alerts for children. He did so after the killings of Prince and 10-year-old Lily Peters of Chippewa Falls exposed holes in the system.
A new “Purple Alert” will include missing children under the age of 10, and children under the age of 18 who are believed to be incapable of returning home without help because of a disability.
Chris Ramirez covers courts for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at caramirez@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee teen pleads guilty in 2023 beating death of 5-year-old Prince McCree
Reporting by Chris Ramirez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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