Police: Elderly Greendale Man Murdered By Homeless Men For $160

GREENDALE, WI — Two homeless men have been accused of the murder of 76-year old Kenneth Latus, a Greendale man with terminal cancer. Police say the suspects, Calvin Fleener and James Johansen, stole $160 from Latus. Fleener was charged with first-degree reckless homicide, robbery, and battery in the death of Latus. Johansen faces charges of robbery and felony murder.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County, on Oct. 21, 2017, Greendale 911 dispatch received a phone call from a frantic woman caller screaming, “He’s tied up!”

Greendale dispatch sent multiple officers and fire personnel to a home in the 9000-block of West Lake Drive. There, detectives found Latus and a woman – the 911 caller – outside the residence, according to police. Police said the woman was walking around the scene on Oct. 21, screaming “He’s dead, he’s dead!” An autopsy revealed that Latus died of asphyxiation due to suffocation.

According to a FOX 6 report, Latus was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer and his wife of 55 years had died earlier in 2017.

Fleener admitted during an interrogation with police that he was involved in Latus' death, according to a criminal complaint. On the day of the murder, according to Fleener, Johansen approached him and asked if he knew a place where they could make some money. Johansen told a different story, saying Fleener came to him mid-morning in the homeless camp in which they lived and asked him if he wanted to get some money. Fleener kept telling Johansen, “trust me, trust me, just get me by Southridge.”

According to the criminal complaint:

Fleener told police he and Johansen took the bus to Greendale and walked to Latus' residence. They went to the front door and asked to come in. Latus told the two men "no,” according to the complaint.

Fleener told police that he pushed his way into the home and tackled Latus, and began punching him several times while demanding to know where Latus’ wallet was.

According to the criminal complaint, Fleener told police that he got a pillow from Johansen, and used it to suffocate Latus. Fleener then went to a phone, ripped off some cords, and tied the elderly man's hands and feet together. In the complaint, Johansen told police that Fleener wanted to make sure Latus was dead so he couldn't call the police. Fleener removed all of the phones from the house.

Fleener stated that after a short time, he took the pillow off Latus and saw that his face was purple. Fleener then stated that he carried Latus to the spare bedroom and put him on the ground, while Johansen put a blanket over him, the complaint stated.

According to the criminal complaint, Fleener stated that he gave all the money to Johansen, and admitted that they threw the stolen phones in a river while walking to the bus.

When investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the Milwaukee County Transit System bus that Johansen and Fleener boarded, they reported that Fleener turned to Johansen and said, “we did good bro!” Fleener then gave a high-five to Johansen, which Johansen returned.

Johansen was arrested by Greendale police near the homeless camp where he lives in Milwaukee. Fleener surrendered to Milwaukee police and he was turned over to Greendale police, according to a FOX 6 report.

Fleener is currently being held in the Milwaukee County Jail on a $350,000 cash bond. He faces up to 60 years behind bars if he is convicted. Johansen is being held on an $85,000 cash bond.

Images Via Milwaukee County Jail