Wisconsin Man Sentenced for Killing 5-Year-Old

An 18-year-old from Wisconsin received a life sentence on Friday for his involvement in the tragic death of a 5-year-old boy from Milwaukee, which resulted in changes to state legislation.

Eric Mendoza, who was just 15 at the time of the offense, won’t have a chance for parole for 50 years. He pled guilty in February to first-degree intentional homicide by concealing a corpse, along with three counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety concerning the death of Prince McCree, according to local reports.

During the sentencing, Assistant District Attorney Matthew Torbenson emphasized the severity of Mendoza’s actions, stating, “Given the serious nature of this defendant’s crime, it could not be more serious or egregious.”

Prince McCree was reported missing on October 25, 2023, after his mother allowed him to play video games in the family’s home basement. David Pietula, who also lived at the residence, has since received a life sentence for his part in the crime.

Concerned when they couldn’t find him, McCree’s family called the police later that day. The following morning, authorities discovered the boy’s body in a dumpster located about a mile from their home.

Records show that Mendoza confessed to strangling McCree and hitting him multiple times with a golf club. Mendoza and Pietula then disposed of the child’s body. Surveillance footage reportedly captured the duo carrying white trash bags shortly after McCree went missing.

Pietula initially claimed he was out for a walk with Mendoza, but cell GPS data didn’t support his story. Later, he assisted police in locating McCree’s body.

Pietula pleaded guilty to first-degree intentional homicide and was sentenced to life in prison in 2024.

This incident prompted the creation of Prince’s Law, which broadens Wisconsin’s missing child alert system to cover cases that might not fit the criteria for an Amber Alert.

During Friday’s hearing, emotional statements from McCree’s parents highlighted their grief and outrage. Darron McCree, the boy’s father, expressed his deep anger, stating, “All I’m saying is, I wish this man would die and burn. There’s no mercy. And I wish I could do it with my own hands.” He added, “I’m a different person now. My life is my child’s life.”

Meanwhile, Prince’s mother, Jordan Berger, lamented, “The baby was worth nothing,” and pointed out the disparity between Mendoza’s age and her son’s innocence: “He was 5 years old. You were 15. That makes a huge difference. And like I said, I’m really happy that justice was served.”

Mendoza chose not to speak during sentencing.