Man charged in homicide of MPD Officer Corder appears in court, pleads not guilty

Twenty-two-year-old Tremaine Jones faces three felony charges, including homicide and attempted homicide. 

In the courtroom, Officer Christopher McCray arrived to watch as an MPD detective testified what happened the night Officer Corder was killed. 

According to Milwaukee police, Officer Kendall Corder and Officer Christopher McCray responded to multiple calls near 25th and Garfield on Thursday, June 26. Milwaukee Police explained they later found out the person who called 911 was the mother of Jones's child. She and a group of women had gotten into an argument the day prior about Jones and his infidelity. On Thursday night, the group of girls returned and called Jones. 

Police say Jones arrived at the residence belonging to the mother of his child with the gun and called for the man at her residence to come out otherwise he would "air the place out." 

“They were initially dispatched to shots fired in the area of 25th and Garfield," said Detective Cedric McFadden with MPD. “This video shows the defendant Jones, in the middle of the intersection walking back and forth with a rifle.”

When both officers arrived, police say they were ambushed with gunfire from someone in the nearby bushes. 

“Officer McCray says he sees a flash then he hears a series of bangs which at first he thought were fireworks and then the series of bangs again and then he acknowledges they are gunshots," said McFadden.

Officer Corder was shot three times and died from his injuries three days later. McFadden testified the bullet had entered in the base of Officer Corder’s neck, hitting his spine and severing it. 

Officer McCray was shot in the right foot, thigh and back. Officers say they recovered 16 rifle casings at the scene and an AR-15 style rifle police say belonged to Jones.

In court, McFadden testified investigators recovered a bookbag with numerous items at the scene identifying Jones. 

"Was there a Social Security card?"

"Yes."

"A birth certificate?"

"Yes."

"Debit cards?"

"Yes."

Jones was arrested one day after the shooting. He was bound over by trial. 

“We’ve entered a plea of not guilty at this point and until he’s proven guilty, he maintains his position of innocence," said Jones's attorney, Russell Jones. “Until that’s reviewed and quite frankly until it's aired into a public courtroom, judgment should be reserved.”

If convicted, Jones faces life in prison, in addition to 77 years. His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 6.