'Coldest of hearts': Milwaukee man gets life in corn vendor's slaying
A Milwaukee man will spend the rest of his life in prison for killing a well-known southside corn vendor during a crime spree.
A jury in June convicted Antoine Alphonse Jr., 34, of first-degree intentional homicide with the use of a dangerous weapon as a party to a crime in the Aug. 28, 2020, death of Filigonio Ramirez Montes, 52.
Assistant District Attorney Ian F. Vance-Curzan argued during a sentencing hearing on Friday the brutality of the crime and Alphonse's extensive criminal history together warranted a punishment of life imprisonment.
He was arrested for the first time at age 12, and spent a lot of his adult life in and out of prison. Alphonse was out on supervised release at the time Ramirez Montes was killed.
"He has the coldest of hearts," Vance-Curzan said.
Diamond Harris, Alphonse's brother, was found guilty in February of felony murder and taking and driving a vehicle without consent in connection with Ramirez Montes' slaying. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison.
Everyone who knew the 'elotero' liked him
Ramirez Montes, who also went by the names Emilio Garza and Don Huicho, was from El Panal, in Guanajuato, Mexico. He came alone to Milwaukee around 1995, and family members one by one would later join him over the years.
That included Jose Ramirez, who remembered his brother as a warm, friendly man who, along with his distinctive push cart, became a fixture on Milwaukee's largely Hispanic southside.
Ramirez Montes sold sweet corn, or elote, in the neighborhood for more than 20 years, sometimes against the wishes of family who were concerned for his safety.
It was nothing for him to walk throughout Mitchell Street and Lincoln Avenue to 27th Street.
Although he was known for working as a street vendor, Ramirez Montes also enjoyed singing and dancing, and also played the güiro, along with several other instruments.
"People knew him and liked him," said Jose Ramirez, 38. "Everybody did."
More: Jury convicts Milwaukee man in killing of south-side corn vendor
Here's what prosecutors say happened that night
Prosecutors say the same day Alphonse fatally shot Garza, he and two others robbed a Domino's delivery driver. Alphonse fired a shot into the air during that incident. According to a criminal complaint, a casing recovered from that scene, near 22nd Street and McKinley Avenue, later helped investigators link Alphonse to the homicide.
Ramirez Montes was pushing his cart on South 11th Street around 9 p.m., when a pair of men approached him.
Alphonse and another man struggled with Ramirez Montes. Two shots were fired, and Ramirez Montes managed to run away.
The men chased Ramirez Montes onto a nearby porch. One of them began beating him. Alphonse then fired shots at Ramirez Montes — once, as he was being held by the other suspect and, a second time, as Ramirez Montes tried to run away again.
All the while, Ramirez Montes screamed for help. No one came to his aid.
The crime had the hallmarks of a robbery, but Ramirez Montes died with $130 in his pocket.
An autopsy revealed Ramirez Montes suffered nine gunshot wounds.
"He was a light for us, for our family," Daisy Diaz, 37, said of her brother-in-law. "He (Alphonse) took our light away from us."
Alphonse spoke briefly during sentencing, telling the court, "God bless, y'all," and that "I ain't the bad person y'all (are) making me out to be."
Circuit Court Judge Ellen R. Brostrom expressed frustration that Alphonse seemingly rejected many opportunities over the years to turn his life around, noting his extensive criminal past and prison history.
"You're done victimizing the community," the judge told Alphonse.
Alphonse has 20 days to file an appeal.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 'Coldest of hearts': Milwaukee man gets life in corn vendor's slaying
