A 32-year-old man from Wisconsin has been sentenced to spend decades in prison for the brutal murder of his younger sister and the shooting of both his parents earlier this year.
Gerardo Jimenez-Rico was sentenced to 35 years in a state correctional facility after pleading guilty to the killing of his 22-year-old sister, Jocelyn Jimenez. A judge also imposed an additional 19 years of supervised release once he completes his sentence.
The Incident
On January 22, 2025, Milwaukee police responded to a shooting at a home on West Cheyenne Street. Upon arrival, officers found three adults suffering from gunshot wounds.
Jocelyn Jimenez was pronounced dead at the scene. The other two victims, Jimenez-Rico’s mother and father, were injured but survived the attack. The mother immediately told authorities that her son, Gerardo Jimenez-Rico, was the shooter.
Jimenez-Rico, shortly after the incident, walked into the Milwaukee Police Station and confessed to the crime. He told officers, “I have a confession to give,” and admitted to shooting his family members.
The Motive Behind the Attack
In a subsequent interview with detectives, Jimenez-Rico explained the reason for his violent outburst. He told police that his family had just returned from a month-long trip to Mexico, and he had not gone with them because he could not afford the trip.
When his family arrived home, Jimenez-Rico offered to help with their luggage, but they told him his help was not needed, which led to frustration building up in him.
The tension continued to rise when his father complained about dirty dishes in the kitchen. Jimenez-Rico explained that the sink was clogged and needed fixing, but his father and sister continued to criticize him.
According to the police affidavit, Jimenez-Rico felt he had been “bullied” by his family for years because he was unemployed and struggling.
He described the argument escalating as his father told him to find somewhere else to live. Jimenez-Rico said he was “fed up” with the constant bullying and criticism, which ultimately led to him pulling out a gun from his waistband during the argument.
He admitted to firing multiple shots at his father, which then led to the tragic death of his sister.
The Aftermath and Arrest
After shooting his father and sister, Jimenez-Rico claimed that his sister had armed herself with a knife, and he shot her to defend himself. An autopsy later revealed that Jocelyn had sustained four gunshot wounds.
When his mother entered the room, Jimenez-Rico shot her too, although he claimed he did not intend to shoot her and couldn’t explain why he did.
Jimenez-Rico was arrested soon after his confession and charged with first-degree reckless homicide, attempted second-degree intentional homicide, and first-degree reckless injury.
Sentencing and Consequences
In the end, the judge sentenced Jimenez-Rico to 35 years in prison, and once he serves his sentence, he will face an additional 19 years of supervised release.
His actions have left the family shattered and are a stark reminder of the impact that years of emotional and verbal abuse can have on an individual’s mental state.
