Police arrest person of interest after man found dead in Kenosha basement
KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Kenosha police took an individual into custody Monday, Feb. 3, after being identified as a person of interest in a suspicious death.
Officers responded to the area near 85th Street and 18th Avenue around 11:42 a.m., after the homeowner called to report that his back door was broken, and someone may have entered his home. Police say the home was checked, and no one was found inside.
Yellow tape surrounded the house when neighbor Yvonne Murphy arrived home.
“Terrible. Terrible," said Murphy. “I kinda kept an eye on it all night long.”
Around 2:32 p.m., Kenosha police were called back to the home after the caller reported finding blood outside the back door. Officers then found a deceased man in the basement with an apparent knife would. A dog with a similar wound died shortly after officers' arrival.
Police say the victim is a 52-year-old man whose name has not been revealed.
“He just bought it not too long ago," said Murphy. “There was all kind of policemen in the yard. There was all kinds of police cars along here.”
Kenosha police deployed members of their SWAT team to clear the home, and a homicide investigation began.
Officials identified a person of interest, and just after 6:30 p.m., police arrested the individual in an alley near 50th Street and 22nd Avenue.
Charges have not been formally filed, but Kenosha County Sheriff's Office records show that 41-year-old Justin Tercek is being held on recommended charges including first degree intentional homicide. Police say they are "confident that there are no other persons of interest."
Murphy says it's an incident that has both her and her neighbors questioning the safety of their once quiet community.
“Someone could come to my door and I’m going to be more skeptical about opening the door," said Murphy. “It almost makes me want to move out of here. But it seems like no matter where you go there’s something going on.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kenosha Police Department's Detective Bureau at 262-605-5203.