MILWAUKEE, WI – A landlord in Milwaukee is accused of fatally shooting his tenant and a mother visiting the residence, authorities say, after a disagreement involving an eviction escalated into a deadly confrontation.

According to police, Kevin Griffin, 54, was in the process of evicting 39-year-old Terrance Wilder from his property on North 42nd Street when a heated argument turned violent on the night of Nov. 4. Investigators allege Griffin confronted Wilder over leaving doors open at the home, but events took a tragic turn when Griffin claimed he witnessed what he believed was a drug transaction inside the residence.

Griffin reportedly told investigators he “lost it” in the heat of the moment, leading him to open fire on Wilder at close range inside the rental home. The fallout grew more dire when A’nya Raymond, a mother who happened to be visiting the residence with her young son, became an unwitting witness to the shooting.

Authorities say Griffin forced Raymond and her child outside at gunpoint, demanding they enter his Mercedes-Benz parked nearby. Despite her pleas for mercy and assurances that she would not tell anyone about what she had seen, Griffin remained unmoved, according to investigators.

During the drive, Raymond allegedly attempted to defend herself, reaching for a knife and a can of mace. Police documents detail that at this point, Griffin shot Raymond multiple times as her son watched from the backseat. Griffin is accused of then disposing of her body in a nearby alley and abandoning her son by leaving him in her car at a separate location.

The child, found wandering without shoes and with apparent blood stains on his clothes, was later rescued by authorities. Milwaukee police discovered Raymond’s body on Nov. 5, while Wilder’s body was found several days later inside the house during a search warrant execution.

Griffin, who had previously rented the home to Wilder, was questioned by detectives and allegedly confessed to both killings. Court records state he was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

City documents reveal that Wilder had recently reported several problems with the rental home to the Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services, citing issues like broken plumbing and a lack of hot water. Records indicate that Griffin was ordered to address these violations but failed to make the repairs, leaving some to speculate whether the landlord-tenant dispute contributed to the violence.

Family members of both victims described their devastation and heartbreak following the loss. Wilder’s mother described the ordeal as a nightmare, while Raymond’s relatives called her death the worst news imaginable.

Griffin was arrested and is being held on a $500,000 bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 26 as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shootings continues.