Inset: Terry Jefferson (Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Highland Court apartments in Milwaukee, Wis. (Google Maps).
A Wisconsin man shot his friend multiple times while helping him move and now faces a long‑term prison term.
Terry Jefferson, 35, received a life sentence on Oct. 8 after a jury found him guilty of first‑degree intentional homicide. A criminal complaint shows Jefferson was moving into a Milwaukee apartment on Feb. 26, 2025, with his friend Charles Williams assisting. Police arrived just before 5 p.m. after receiving reports of gunfire.
Williams lay on the floor in a pool of blood, “in obvious pain,” while Jefferson stood a few feet away with a gun. Officers ordered Jefferson to drop the weapon.
Jefferson obeyed the officers’ command and was taken into custody. Williams was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
An apartment manager told detectives that after hearing a single gunshot, he looked down the hallway toward the unit Jefferson was moving into. He saw Williams on the floor, and Jefferson claimed Williams “shot himself” and “tried to grab my gun.”
After the manager returned to his apartment and called 911, he heard six or seven additional shots fire “in rapid succession.”
During a police interview, Jefferson said he kept his gun in the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt on moving day. He confirmed that Williams was helping him unload items, using a shopping cart to transfer belongings from Jefferson’s car and the elevator to bring the cart upstairs.
In the elevator, Jefferson said Williams was “very close to him” and began “grabbing for stuff.” Believing Williams was reaching for his gun, Jefferson fired a shot that struck Williams in the face. Seeing the blood, Jefferson moved the cart to keep the mess off his belongings.
As Williams struggled with the facial wound, Jefferson attempted to clear a jam in his gun while telling Williams to “chill out.” Still insisting Williams was reaching for his firearm, Jefferson discharged the remaining rounds, emptying the gun.
The jury rejected Jefferson’s self‑defense argument.
Jefferson will become eligible for parole in 35 years, and any release will be subject to extended supervision.
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