GRAND CHUTE, Wis (WBAY) – A teenager wanted for first-degree premeditated murder for the shooting at Fox River Mall Sunday is in custody.
Grand Chute police say Dezman Ellis, 17, was arrested without incident at 3:30 a.m. Thursday afternoon in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Grand Chute Police Department says while trying to locate Ellis’ location, they developed information that he was likely to leave the state. They enlisted the help of the American Marshals service.
The U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force agreed to assist with the investigation Monday. “After a comprehensive, 24-hour investigation, police said Ellis was arrested in a house in Des Moines, about 400 km from Grand Chute.
Ellis is charged in the Outagamie County Circuit Court with first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree reckless endangerment. According to prosecutors, police believe Ellis shot dead 19-year-old Jovanni Frausto in the food court in the mall during an argument over a girl who had previously dated Ellis. According to an autopsy, Frausto died of two gunshot wounds, including one to the chest. Another person who was shot was treated in a hospital and released.
Outagamie County District Court Judge Carrie Schneider issued an arrest warrant for Ellis on Tuesday, adding a $ 750,000 mortgage on Wednesday.
The police department told Action 2 News that Ellis is in a secure facility under the supervision of U.S. Marshals. Our ABC sister station in Des Moines has confirmed that he is still in Iowa. Although he is being charged as an adult in Wisconsin, the sheriff in Polk County said he is being held in the juvenile detention facility.
The Grand Chute Police Department issued a statement saying in part: “We would also like to sincerely thank our public for the many tips we received during the investigation.”
Police say the Great Takes Regional Task Force includes U.S. Marshals offices in Green Bay; Milwaukee; Madison; Chicago; and Hammond, Indiana; with the Southern Iowa Fugitive Task Force. Members of the Appleton Police Department / Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Unit are delegated as officers of the US Marshals Task Force.
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