Pickett gets 23 years in prison and 11 years supervision for killing Gonzalez after she struggled to keep her purse in a robbery attempt while waiting for a bus.
By H. Nelson Goodson
November 12, 2013
Milwaukee, WI - Milwaukee County court records show that on October 25, Lenard Terrell Pickett, 23, of Milwaukee was sentenced to 23 years in prison and received 11 years of probation for the March 15, 2011 homicide of Diamaris Gonzalez, 23. Pickett pleaded guilty to two felony counts. He was charged in early March with one count for felony murder during an armed robbery in Gonzalez homicide and one felony count for burglary of a building or dwelling where he broke-in into a South side house.
Pickett had eluded police, since 2011, after a witness identified Pickett as one of the suspects that attempted to steal a purse from Gonzalez at a bus stop. Gonzalez had just left her job and was waiting for the bus, when Pickett and his accomplice, Joseph Lamont Williams, 22, tried to rob Gonzalez. Gonzalez struggled to keep her purse and Pickett then fatally shot her.
Williams also pleaded guilty to one count of felony murder for Gonzalez homicide. Williams was sentenced on September 27, to 18 years in prison and 8 years of supervision for Gonzalez murder.
Gonzalez had just left work and was waiting for a bus at the 3300 block of N. Holton St. near Lena's Market where she worked.
Williams confessed to police on February 14 after being taken into custody, that he and Pickett decided to rob Gonzalez. When she resisted, Pickett then shot Gonzalez and they fled the scene empty handed. Gonzalez was fatally shot in the chest and died at the scene. Gonzalez had two children, a 1-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy.
A boyfriend had used Gonzalez' car and it was towed. She usually drove to work, but on March 15, 2011 she had to ride the bus.
