Wisconsin teen sentenced to life in prison for brutal killing of 5-year-old boy, dumping body in dumpster

An 18-year-old Wisconsin man has been handed a life sentence for his role in the killing of a 5-year-old Milwaukee boy. Erik Mendoza, who was 15 at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty in February to first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse, and three counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety in the death of Prince McCree.

The body of McCree was located in a dumpster near Vliet Street in Milwaukee on October 26, 2023. His body was recovered one day after his family reported him missing from their home, after his mom had allowed him to play video games in the basement of the home, the space in which David Pietura lived. Surveillance footage cited in court showed Mendoza and Pietura carrying a white garbage bag through an alley on the day McCree disappeared. According to reporting by FOX 6, Pietura told investigators that he and Mendoza had gone for a walk, but this is contradicted by cellphone GPS data.

Both Pietura and Mendoza had lived at the residence, with detectives finding blood in the basement when they were called after McCree could not be found by his mother. Pietura claimed that the he and Mendoza had been "roughhousing" and that Mendoza received a bloody nose in the process. Investigators found additional blood in the basement, and when asked about it, Pietura reportedly provided a story that was debunked by cellphone records. Pietura was taken into custody, and had blood on his leg, per Law and Crime. 

A K-9 detective detected human decomposition on the property on October 26, 2023, and use of a reagent to detect blood stains not able to be seen by the naked eye revealed more blood in the basement. Pietura was questioned again, telling police that Mendoza had beaten the boy with a golf club, and that he saw Mendoza "choking and beating" the boy. McGee's body was recovered that morning from a dumpster, being found "blood soaked, bound, and gagged."

Mendoza was arrested that day, and admitted to police "I strangled him," and that he struck the boy with a golf club. He said that he and Pietura then took the boy outside, where Mendoza stomped on McGee's head 10 times. He said he "punched and kicked" the boy until he was "lifeless." Mendoza and Pietura then disposed of the body. Pietura admitted that he participated in the beating to keep the boy quiet, and that he dropped a 30-lb barbell on the boy's head when he continued to whimper. Pietura said he dropped a "concrete pedestal for a bird bath" on McGee's head two times, after which the boy no longer made a sound. 

Pietura pleaded guilty to first-degree intentional homicide and was sentenced to life in prison in 2024, according to FOX 6.

McCree’s parents expressed their anguish and rage following the sentencing of Mendoza. “What I want to say is, I wish this guy would die and burn. No mercy. And I wish I could do it with my hands,” Darron McCree, Prince McCree’s father, told the court, per WISN 12 News. “I’m a different person now. My life is my kid’s life.” Jordan Barger, Prince McCree’s mother, said her “baby didn’t deserve anything.”

While Mendoza did not speak at the sentencing, his defense did speak on his behalf and said he had mental health issues. His sentence includes the possibility of supervised release following 50 years.

The case made statewide waves, promoting a law named the “Prince Act” that expands the reach of the normally strict Amber Alert requirements.