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A Wisconsin man allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend just days after a judge denied a request from prosecutors to hold him in jail until his sentencing hearing, as he recently pleaded guilty to child sex charges.
Ernest Terrell Blakney, 47, is being accused by prosecutors of killing his ex-girlfriend and setting his Milwaukee home on fire on Aug. 25, according to FOX 6.
Both the Milwaukee police and fire departments went to the home shortly before 4:30 a.m. for a "house fire" call, but discovered a homicide victim, which was later identified as Nikia Rogers, 36.
An autopsy later revealed Rogers died from bullet wounds to her back and head. Her death was ruled a homicide.
Ernest Terrell Blakney, 47, is being accused by prosecutors of killing his ex-girlfriend and setting his Milwaukee home on fire on Aug. 25, according to FOX 6. (Milwaukee Police Department)
Blakney was previously charged with second-degree sexual assault and was accused of engaging in sex with a 13-year-old girl in 2020. He posted $5,000 cash bail and was released from jail in November 2021, the complaint states.
The man pleaded guilty to the sex charge and was convicted on August 15. Prosecutors requested that Blakney be remanded and placed in jail after pleading guilty, but Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge David Borowski denied the motion, allowing Blakney to stay out of jail.
According to WISN, the family of the 13-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted also requested that Blakney be put in jail until his sentencing hearing.
Nikia Rogers posing in a photo. (FOX 6)
Milwaukee police allege that Blakney went on to kill his ex-girlfriend just 10 days after Borowski declined to place him in jail until an Oct. 20 sentencing hearing.
Police haven't arrested Blakney after he allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend.
The criminal complaint alleged that Blakney could have started the fire in any of the following four places: a detached garage, the first floor, the basement and Rodgers' body.
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Both the Milwaukee police and fire departments went to the home shortly before 4:30 a.m. for a "house fire" call, but discovered a homicide victim, which was later identified as Nikia Rogers, 36. (FOX 6)
A witness who said that he had known Rogers said that Blakney was "crazy" and said that he got a message from a phone number belonging to Rogers after emergency crews were alerted about the fire, which stated "You should have left her alone."
The witness replied "excuse me," and got a response stating "she dead," adding that he knew Blakney by his middle name, Terrell, and texted the phone number "This Terrell?"
"Yes," the number said in response, the complaint states.
Another witness also said that he spoke with Blakney on the phone after the alleged homicide, stating that Blakney said he was "sorry," without explaining why.
When the witness asked why Blakney was sorry, he responded "she made me do it" and eventually said "I shot her," according to the complaint.
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Both the Milwaukee police and fire departments went to the home shortly before 4:30 a.m. for a "house fire" call, but discovered a homicide victim, which was later identified as Nikia Rogers, 36. (FOX 6)
The witness asked who Blakney shot, and he allegedly responded, saying that he shot Rogers because she was moving out of the house.
According to the witness, Blakney was in possession of a gun and said that he burned his house down and was headed to set his tractor trailers on fire.
Police also spoke with a witness who said that he was in the process of repairing a bulldozer at a construction site that was located near the woods on the night of the alleged crime and heard "metal collapsing," and then saw Blakney, who demanded the keys to the truck. Blakney allegedly ordered the worker to get in a trailer while pointing a gun in his direction, and then locked him inside. The worker got out of the trailer and called 911.
Construction site where worker was allegedly forced into trailer at gunpoint. (FOX 6)
Blakney is being charged with first-degree reckless homicide, armed robbery, attempted mutilating a corpse, possession of a firearm by a felon, felony bail jumping, and false imprisonment.
