A North Side shooting that rattled a Milwaukee block in the summer of 2022 is back in the spotlight, as prosecutors charge a 23-year-old man with first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of 24-year-old Daneysha Velez.
Court records identify the defendant as Jhony Marchena and show he made his initial court appearance yesterday. A judge set his cash bond at $300,000, reopening a case that left neighbors on edge after gunfire erupted near 17th and Wright in July 2022.
Prosecutors have also charged Marchena with felony bail jumping, and say the criminal complaint leans heavily on surveillance footage and forensic work that tie a pickup truck to the shooting, FOX6 Milwaukee reports. Investigators reportedly recovered 15 shell casings at the scene, and later analysis indicated they were fired from three different guns.
The violence unfolded on July 21, 2022, in the 1700 block of W. Wright Street, where officers found Velez lying in the street next to a running car, according to earlier coverage by TMJ4. Family members and the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner publicly identified Velez and described a neighborhood stunned in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
Prosecutors Point to Vehicle, Phone and Print Evidence
According to the criminal complaint, as reported by FOX6 Milwaukee, investigators linked Marchena to a Dodge Ram pickup that looked like the one captured on nearby surveillance video. That truck had been reported stolen in Mequon just hours before the homicide and was later recovered so technicians could process it for evidence.
The complaint alleges a forensic investigator lifted fingerprints from the truck’s rear license plate cover. Cellphone tower data also allegedly placed a phone associated with Marchena in the same area at the time of the shooting. Police say they arrested Marchena on Sept. 9, 2022, after a search in which officers reported finding a handgun and his cellphone.
What the Charge Means
Under Wisconsin law, first-degree intentional homicide is a Class A felony that generally requires proof the defendant meant to kill the victim and carries the state’s harshest penalties, including the possibility of life in prison, according to Justia, which publishes Wisconsin Statute 940.01. The statute also outlines limited mitigating defenses that, if proved, can reduce a charge to a lesser form of homicide. Those arguments would play out in court if the case moves toward trial.
Family Still Seeking Answers
Velez’s family publicly pleaded for witnesses to come forward in the days after the 2022 shooting and said they had been waiting for justice, as reported by CBS 58. Milwaukee police continue to ask anyone with information to contact the department or Crime Stoppers.
The case is proceeding in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, where charging documents and upcoming hearings will determine whether prosecutors push the matter to a full trial. Officials and court records cited in future filings are expected to reveal more detail as the case moves forward.
