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Walter E. Ellis: Milwaukee Serial Killer Arrested After 20 Years

by candice.tsuei | September 8, 2009 at 09:08 am

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Walter E. Ellis, a suspected Milwaukee serial killer, has been arrested by police after DNA linked him to the bodies of nine women killed in a murder spree that lasted over 20 years.

The 49-year-old man has been charged with two counts of first degree murder relating to the deaths of two women, and more charges are likely to come later this week. All nine alleged female victims, ranging in age from 16 to 41, were prostitutes except one being a runway involved with drugs. They were all killed in northern Milwaukee's within a three-square-mile area.

Ellis was arrested at a motel, days after police matched a DNA sample from his toothbrush to samples from the victims.

Edward Milwaukee police chief Flynn said: "This case was solved with shoe leather and science."Continuing advances in DNA technology have enabled us to link these homicide cases, and it was good police work pursuing numerous leads that led to the arrest of a suspect."

Flynn wouldn’t talk about why Ellis might have committed these heinous crimes. “I don’t think it’s possible for me to speculate what would cause someone to engage in these horrific acts,” he said. In addition, Ellis’ relationship to the victims is not yet known.

News of Ellis' arrested shocked those who knew him."That was just my ex-boyfriend," his former girlfriend, Chanita, told CNN affiliate WISN-TV. She asked that her last name not be used. "I didn't know nothing about nothing like this. I'm getting shivery now cause you're talking about some strangling stuff. Lord have mercy on me. I'm just a wreck right now. I can't believe this. I'm trembling in here. I'm shakin'."

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