A 38-year-old man has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide following the death of his mother in West Milwaukee.
Authorities say Hayward Jenkins is accused of killing his 66-year-old mother, Cheryl Jenkins, during a violent altercation at her apartment.
According to police, the incident came to light when Cheryl Jenkins’ fiancé contacted authorities early Tuesday morning after discovering her unresponsive in a guest room. He told officers that her son had stayed overnight at the apartment.
The fiancé reported hearing a noise around 4 a.m. but did not find anything unusual at the time. A few hours later, he discovered Cheryl Jenkins lying face down on the floor, while her son was no longer at the scene.
Investigators say they found a wooden baseball bat on top of the victim’s body, with visible bloodstains and evidence of a head injury. Surveillance footage later showed Hayward Jenkins leaving the apartment complex and boarding a bus around 6 a.m.
Police tracked him down later that day at Potawatomi Casino Hotel, where he was arrested.
According to the criminal complaint, Jenkins told investigators that he had argued with his mother over silver coins and felt she was not listening to him. He claimed she threatened him with scissors, which led him to lose control.
He allegedly admitted to grabbing a bat and striking her multiple times while she was seated, later telling police he knew he was “wrong” for killing her.
During a court appearance, a judge set Jenkins’ bond at $300,000 as the case proceeds through the legal system.
