Authorities have charged a Milwaukee man in connection with two separate shootings that left three people dead Saturday night, police and court records show.
Charges filed after slayings at two locations
The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office filed criminal complaints against Thomas Zollicoffer, 36, accusing him of fatally shooting Vanessa DeHerrera and Scott Bucholz at an apartment near 21st and Pierce streets, then later killing Shamarla Hare, 38, at a rooming house near 39th and Townsend streets.
Zollicoffer faces three counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the complaint. Police say the incidents happened during the same Saturday night and that the suspect was taken into custody after a standoff several days later.
Sequence of events and alleged motive
According to the charging documents, Zollicoffer arrived uninvited at an apartment where DeHerrera and Bucholz were attending a gathering. After about half an hour, the complaint says, he turned a gun on the two people and shot them.
DeHerrera was identified as the mother of two young sons. Court papers say Zollicoffer was not the father of those children.
The complaint states Zollicoffer then went to a rooming house near 39th and Townsend seeking a drug dealer. When he could not find that person, prosecutors say, Zollicoffer shot Hare — who, the complaint and her family said, had no connection to him and was apparently struck out of frustration.
Arrest, additional charges and community impact
Police located Zollicoffer following a standoff at a residence on 84th Street and Fiebrantz Avenue, where they took him into custody. Authorities also arrested a woman, Elena Cole, 38, on suspicion of harboring a felon and for allegedly allowing Zollicoffer to remain in the house where he was arrested.
She told police she didn’t call to report him because she “did not want to get into it.”
Cole is charged with harboring or aiding a felon, a felony, and she also faces three misdemeanor counts of neglecting a child. Prosecutors say at times Zollicoffer stayed at the 84th Street house while Cole’s children were present.
Victims and community response
Officials and family members have identified the three victims and confirmed the community is coping with the immediate consequences. Two separate GoFundMe pages were set up to help the families of Hare and DeHerrera, according to public postings.
- Locations involved: Apartment near 21st & Pierce; rooming house near 39th & Townsend; arrest at 84th & Fiebrantz.
- Defendant: Thomas Zollicoffer, 36, charged with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide and a weapons charge.
- Additional defendant: Elena Cole, 38, charged with harboring a felon and three counts of child neglect.
| Victim | Age | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Vanessa DeHerrera | Not listed | Apartment near 21st & Pierce |
| Scott Bucholz | Not listed | Apartment near 21st & Pierce |
| Shamarla Hare | 38 | Rooming house near 39th & Townsend |
Investigators have not released details about a possible motive beyond what is outlined in the complaint. The killings and the arrest prompted additional police activity in the neighborhoods involved and renewed conversations among residents about safety and access to services for people struggling with substance use and disputes that can escalate into violence.
Prosecutors will determine whether to proceed to trial on the charges filed. Zollicoffer and Cole are scheduled for initial court appearances, where a judge will review the complaints and set bail and further hearing dates.
The Milwaukee Police Department asks anyone with information related to these incidents to contact investigators. Community leaders and victim advocates say support services and counseling are available to family members and neighbors affected by the shootings.
