MILWAUKEE, WI – A Milwaukee man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to second-degree reckless homicide in the shooting death of his former girlfriend, a mother of eight, earlier this year.
Ronald Fuller, 54, admitted responsibility for the April 1 shooting of LaKeyshia Timmons, 39, outside her home on Milwaukee’s north side. Prosecutors said Timmons was killed just after dropping off several of her children at school, returning to her house when Fuller confronted her.
Authorities responded to the 2700 block of North 18th Street around 7:30 a.m. to investigate reports of gunfire detected by a ShotSpotter system. Officers arrived to find Timmons on the ground, suffering from a gunshot wound to her side. Emergency personnel pronounced her dead at the scene.
An investigation revealed that the deadly encounter was witnessed in part by one of Timmons’ sons, who told police that he awoke to gunshots and saw his mother outside. He described seeing a man with a pronounced limp walking away from the scene. The son, recognizing the man as Fuller after seven years of knowing him, later identified Fuller in a police lineup and confirmed he was wearing the same clothing as during the incident.
Detectives recovered nine shell casings roughly sixty-five feet from Timmons’ body. Surveillance footage from nearby homes showed Fuller pacing outside before approaching Timmons as she exited her van. According to the footage, Timmons recognized Fuller and pleaded for him to stop, referencing their past relationship.
Fuller was apprehended soon after the shooting. In interviews with law enforcement, he acknowledged shooting Timmons but claimed he only intended to wound her. He told investigators that his judgment that morning was clouded by paranoia, drug use, and his deteriorating health, but accepted that these factors were not an excuse for his actions. At sentencing, Fuller expressed regret and characterized his actions as a series of bad decisions.
Court documents and statements from Timmons’ family shed light on a history of domestic turmoil between the pair, including a contentious custody dispute over their three children. Family members said that despite attempts to protect herself, Timmons’ efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Fuller found her new address through one of Timmons’ children, authorities said.
Timmons’ death has left her loved ones grappling with grief. Her mother recalled the pain of waiting in vain for her daughter’s nightly phone calls, while Timmons’ daughter spoke of the heavy absence in their lives. Timmons’ children have now been left without their mother, and her family described the loss as immeasurable.
In a fundraising appeal, Timmons was remembered as a devoted mother who worked hard to safeguard her family. According to her daughter, Timmons took every precaution she could to keep Fuller out of their lives.
Fuller will serve his 20-year sentence in state custody. The court’s decision was handed down following his guilty plea to second-degree reckless homicide. No other injuries were reported in connection with the shooting.