Kenosha man gets $2M bond, charged with killing estranged wife in front of children before 30-hour manhunt
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Thirty-three-year-old Marckus Plaza is now charged with first degree intentional homicide for the death of 28-year-old Makayla Plaza in an incident of domestic violence.
Marckus Plaza led police on a nearly 30-hour manhunt after investigators say he stabbed Makayla Plaza multiple times in the basement of her home.
Marckus Plaza
Plaza appeared in person, wearing handcuffs and an anti-suicide vest.
His attorney, public defender Benjamin Shwarz, requested a competency evaluation for Plaza, saying he has "significant mental health needs."
An amended criminal complaint filed Monday also charges Plaza with two felony counts of causing harm to a child - that's because prosecutors said his 2-year-old and 4-year-old children watched as he killed their mother.
Assistant District Attorney Sara Norkus mentioned that and other new details in the amended criminal complaint, including the autopsy report that confirmed Makayla Plaza was stabbed seven times in the face, neck, and chest.
Marckus Plaza is also now charged with misdemeanors for entering a locked building and resisting officers.
The complaint notes at time of his arrest on April 2, Plaza was found hiding in the locked basement of a Kenosha salon behind a cabinet, holding a box cutter. When officers asked him to drop it, he refused and stabbed himself in the neck before being taken into custody.
In response to those added charges, Court Commissioner Aileen Henry issued a $2 million cash bond for Plaza at Monday's intake hearing, as requested by the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office.
Makayla's friends and family members were emotional as they watched the hearing from the courtroom gallery and were given the chance to speak on the record to the court before bail was determined.
Marckus Plaza
"He should never be able to get out on bond, and never see his children again," her mother said to the commissioner, before turning to Plaza. "I can't believe you. You freakin' lived in my (expletive) house. Oh my God."
Makayla's current boyfriend also spoke to the court.
Makayla Plaza
"I don't want him to ever see the light of day. That man took everything from everybody. From me, from his children," her boyfriend said. "I tried so hard to help her escape his clutches, his abuse, his mistreatment, everything that man ever put her through. I want him to feel the same fear she did that night."
The intake hearing also addressed battery and disorderly conduct misdemeanor charges towards Plaza filed April 1, related to a previous domestic violence incident.
Prosecutors requested a $2,500 cash bond for those charges, but Plaza's defense attorney pushed back.
"It appears those allegations occurred back in February and they're now being filed in April. If they felt that those were so serious as to warrant cash bond, maybe those could have been filed previously," Schwarz said. "The state has made statements to the media about how they feel they had done everything they can, or they could have, prior to the felony charges being filed."
The court commissioner opted to issue the $2,500 bond for that case in addition to the $2 million bond.
Plaza was ordered not to have any contact with his children and the victim's family.
He is next scheduled to appear in court May 8 at 10:30 a.m. for a competency hearing.