Manitowoc County jury finds Joshua Walcott guilty in 2021 homicide of Malachi Moore

MANITOWOC — Joshua I. Walcott, 21, has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree intentional homicide for the 2021 murder of 17-year-old Malachi Moore.

The jury also found Walcott guilty of felony bail jumping, felony possession of a firearm by a felon and two felony counts of sexual assault of a child.

Life in prison is the sentence for first-degree intentional homicide. Walcott is expected to appear for a sentencing hearing Dec. 11 at Manitowoc County Courthouse.

Walcott has been held at Manitowoc County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond since he was arrested in May 2021.

According to the criminal complaint, Walcott and Moore were arguing inside a Two Rivers residence before Moore was shot. Walcott told police he saw a gun on the floor while they were arguing and picked it up.

In interviews with police, Walcott said, "I guess I pulled the trigger. ... It just went off."

Police responded to the residence when a caller reported a weapon was involved and a person had been shot. Police arrived to find Moore with a gunshot wound. Officers attempted life-saving measures, but Moore died at the scene.

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Walcott's trial began Oct. 2 and ran through Oct. 6 with closing arguments from both the prosecutor and the defense. Dozens of witnesses were called including people who were at the Two Rivers residence at the time of the incident and local law enforcement and investigators. Walcott was also called to testify during the trial.

Five other men were arrested as a result of the 2021 investigation:

• Malik R. Thomson, 23: Thomson was charged with felony possession of THC with intent to deliver and misdemeanor carry a concealed weapon. He appeared Sept. 12 for a plea/sentencing hearing during which his sentence was withheld and he was given two years of probation.

• Todd P. Mueller, 48: Mueller was charged with two felony counts of chronic neglect of a child. On June 21, 2022, he was convicted of both charges, but his sentence was withheld and he was instead placed on probation for two years.

• Rodney Anderson, 22: Anderson was charged with felony harboring or aiding a felon and six counts of misdemeanor bail jumping. On Jan. 4, he was convicted of the felony charge and his sentence was withheld. Instead, he was placed on three years of probation. The six bail jumping charges were dismissed.

• Kaden Jones, 21: Jones was charged with misdemeanor bail jumping, but those charges were dismissed.

• William Lowe, 22: Lowe was held at Manitowoc County Jail on a probation hold, but no charges were filed.

Fulfilling our obligation: This report is part of the Herald Times Reporter's mission to follow criminal cases from arrest to their conclusion.

Alisa M. Schafer is a reporter for the Herald Times Reporter. She can be reached by email at aschafer@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Joshua Walcott guilty of killing Malachi Moore, Manitowoc jury finds