Four Arrested in a Detailed Conspiracy and Attempt to Kill a Witness to a Homicide
Posted: Nov 12, 2015 2:45 PM CDT | Updated: Nov 12, 2015 2:55 PM CDT
District Attorney John Chisholm announced a multi-agency investigation discovered and thwarted a conspiracy to kill a witness to a homicide.
The agencies that worked on this case included: High Intensity Drug Gang Task Force, Milwaukee Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.
The case started on July 30 when Antonio Smith was charged with First Degree Intentional Homicide While Armed in the shooting death of Eddie Powe. Powe was killed on July 11 at 7:45 PM at 2678 West Port Sunlight Way.
Powe died of six gunshot wounds.
John Spivey was arrested on July 12 for unlawful possession of a Glock .40 semi-automatic pistol. Law enforcement learned Spivey was an eyewitness to the homicide of Powe.
Spivey told police he saw a male subject known as 'Tone' shoot and kill Powe with a handgun while on Port Sunlight Way.
Tone was identified as Antonio Smith, according to the criminal complaint.
Spivey said Powe's girlfriend was also present at the scene of the murder.
Spivey was granted bond under the condition a pre-trial monitoring bracelet would be fitted to him.
Powe's girlfriend was subsequently shot and killed by an unknown male assailant on July 19. The murder investigation into Breanna Eskridge remains open.
Smith was in custody until the present after his arrest on August 24.
Shantrell Lyons was with Smith the day he was arrested.
Lyons was ordered not to contact Smith or Shaheem Smith.
At the end of September, Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department became aware that Smith was making telephone calls and live 2-way video chats from jail using personal identifying numbers of other inmates.
Detectives monitored the recordings and observed that their content was suggestive of drug talk and code commonly used by drug traffickers.
Smith calls were primarily to Lyons.
Lyons was registering for these contacts under another person's name.
Video chats show Lyons and Smith having conversations.
Smith instructed Lyons to access a storage locker to move a "big black thing" that police believe was a strongbox. Smith wanted two of them in the locker.
In one phone call the two discuss the rash of heroin overdoses on Halloween weekend.
They discuss a light and dark product, believed to be two types of heroin, being "put out" after being measured.
In a recorded call made on October 6, Smith tells Lyons that Lorenzo will be contacting Lyons. He said he has some work for Lorenzo.
In a video chat Smith discusses with a female the strength of his defense to his pending homicide case.
Smith tells the subject that Spivey is the only person present at the crime.
Smith is heard planning to bail Spivey out of jail. Lorenzo Beaton appeared at the Criminal Justice Facility and paid $7,600 to post Spivey's bail.
Smith is heard telling Lyons to make sure Spivey is gone and to "Go get him, go get him, go get him man."
Spivey was scheduled to be released on November 4. Lyons arrived to Criminal Justice Facility in a white Mercedes-Benz. Beaton was in the front passenger seat and a second male was in the rear seat.
Spivey was intercepted before leaving by investigators and shown Beaton's photo. Spivey said he did not know him, but an inmate had approached him twice saying this man would bail him out.
When the defendants could not find Spivey they arrived at listed for Spivey.
In a recorded call between Smith and Lyons there is discussion of going to "Plan B." Investigators positioned squad cars in the vicinity of the address to prevent an imminent armed home invasion.
On November 5, law enforcement officers arrested Shaheem Smith during a sale of heroin.
A search of Shaheem's residence uncovered two firearms, plastic baggie of chunky white substance, and surveillance camera on the house.
Law enforcement searched the storage locker and found two black safes and two firearms. The safes contained $6,299. in cash and clear plastic sandwich type baggie filled with a tan powdery substance.
Lorenzo Beaton, Shantrell Lyons, Antonio Smith and Shaheem Smith were arrested in connection with this case.
The defendants were charged with: conspiracy to commit first degree intentional homicide use of a dangerous weapon, bail jumping, possession of a firearm, conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver, keeping a drug house and fleeing or eluding an officer.
Beaton told police that Tone asked him to assist his girlfriend, Peanut. Peanut told him to bail out Spivey. Beaton said he agreed to kill Spivey at Peanut's urging.
Shaheem Smith told police Antonio was his uncle. He told police Peanut was pregnant with Antonio's baby. Smith told police the heroin he sold to three subjects was given to him by peanut.