Milwaukee man pleads not guilty in Christmas Day slayings, 2nd suspect still at-large
A Milwaukee man charged in the shooting deaths of two teenagers on Christmas Day wants to go to trial, while the search continues for another suspect who authorities believe pulled the trigger.
At a hearing Wednesday, Milwaukee County Court Commissioner Maria S. Dorsey found there was enough probable cause in the case against Quintarez Morris to bind the matter over for trial.
Morris, 18, pleaded not guilty through his attorney, Craig Johnson.
Morris and Jeremiah N. Taylor, also 18, each were charged with first-degree reckless homicide as a party to a crime in the deaths of Nayah Vasquez, 18, and Exziel Rivera, 15.
Arrest warrants were issued for the pair last week. Morris was arrested Thursday and appeared before Dorsey in a preliminary hearing. Taylor remained on the loose Wednesday.
Milwaukee police Detective Alexander Klabunde testified during the hearing multiple surveillance cameras captured footage of the shooting, which is aiding investigators piece together what happened that day.
According to a criminal complaint, surveillance cameras in the area that were recording at the time of the shooting captured footage of a white Kia parking on 37th Street just before the intersection with Scott Street.
At some point, a black Malibu traveling on Scott crossed the intersection and a light-skinned male leaned out of the front passenger window and fired a gun multiple times at the Kia before speeding off.
Numerous neighbors came out to help the dying victims after they heard gunshots around 11:25 a.m.
More: Milwaukee man gets 25 years in robbery spree that ended with armored car guard's death
Nayah was taken to a hospital, where she died. Exziel, who often went by the name Xziel, died at the scene.
Two men ran from the Kia after it came to a stop at the house, but later spoke with detectives about the incident.
Milwaukee police Detective Alexander Klabunde testified during the hearing that 13 spent 10 mm casings were recovered at the scene.
Klaubunde said one of men in the car with Nayah and Exziel told investigators they had earlier arranged to buy marijuana from another man before the shooting occurred.
A Malibu with distinctive damage and features identical to the one driven during the shooting was found burned after the shooting in Dineen Park, on West Vienna Avenue.
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Klabunde said investigators spoke to the owner of the Malibu, who was Morris' aunt. She told them Morris had been using the vehicle and was in the process of buying it from her, the complaint said.
Cash bond for Morris' release was set at $200,000. He remained in the Milwaukee County Jail on Wednesday, online records show.
Morris is expected to be in court again Feb. 23 for a scheduling hearing before Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey A. Wagner.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee man pleads not guilty in Christmas Day slayings
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