Four Former Hotel Employees Charged with Murder in Relation to Milwaukee Man’s Death
Local prosecutors charged four former Hyatt hotel employees with murder in connection with the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office charged former Hyatt Regency employees security guard Todd Erickson, front desk agent Devin Johnson-Carson, security guard Brandon Ladaniel Turner, and bell driver door attendant Herbert Williamson with felony murder for the incident that occurred on 30 June 2024 that resulted in Mitchell’s death. Arrest warrants were issued for all four individuals, according to a press release the office shared with Security Management.
Attorney Ben Crump, who along with Will Sulton and B’Ivory Lamarr is representing Mitchell’s family, said in a statement that the charges mark a “significant step towards justice.”
“The evidence, including security footage and witness statements, paints a disturbing picture of a man in distress who was met with excessive and lethal force,” Crump said. “The fact that D’Vontaye was held face down on the pavement for eight to nine minutes—just like George Floyd—is a sobering reminder of the urgent need for accountability and justice.
“This case underscores the critical need for comprehensive training and oversight of security personnel to ensure that they are equipped to handle situations without resorting to excessive force,” Crump continued. “The charges filed today are an important step, but they are just the beginning.”
A spokesperson for Aimbridge Hospitality, which operates the Hyatt hotel where Mitchell was killed, said in a statement shared with Security Management that “our hearts are with Mr. Mitchell's family and loved ones as this case moves forward. We have cooperated fully with law enforcement in their investigation into this tragic incident and will continue to cooperate with the district attorney.”
What Happened
Surveillance video played a key role in the evidence that prosecutors used to ultimately issue the charges. Video provided by the hotel showed Mitchell running through the hotel lobby and entering the gift shop before running toward and entering the women’s bathroom, according to the criminal complaint.
A few seconds later, a woman exited the bathroom. Turner then entered and pulled Mitchell out—grabbing Mitchell by his shirt to escort him towards the entrance of the hotel lobby. Mitchell can be seen in the video moving with his hands raised.
When the two entered the lobby, however, Mitchell appeared to make a motion towards Turner and a struggle occurred. Mitchell could be seen holding on to Turner’s waistband, who then backs away and punches Mitchell—knocking him to the floor. A hotel guest then went to assist Turner, escorting Mitchell to the front door, including by dragging him.
As the group moved through the doors, another hotel employee struck Mitchell with a broom and the altercation escalated into an interaction where Turner began striking Mitchell with closed fists, including while Mitchell was on his knees. Mitchell was able to stand and moved as if to re-enter the hotel, before being pushed back outside.
“Soon thereafter, Turner, Johnson-Carson, and Williamson surround [Mitchell] and grab ahold of him to prevent him from re-entering the hotel,” according to the criminal complaint. “Moments later, Erickson arrives on scene and the four defendants tackle [Mitchell] to the ground in the driveway. While taking [Mitchell] to the ground, Turner strikes [Mitchell] three times with a closed fist. Johnson-Carter strikes [Mitchell] once with a closed fist. Erickson appears to attempt to strike [Mitchell] with a fist, but ultimately kicks [Mitchell] in the torso instead.”
A Hyatt hotel operator fired several security associates on Wednesday for violating policies and procedures after they pinned a man to the ground near the hotel’s entrance. The altercation ultimately resulted in the man’s death last month. https://t.co/JHrUCEMFoU
— Security Management (@SecMgmtMag) July 12, 2024
The complaint noted that while Mitchell appeared to behave erratically and in a confused manner during the altercation, he did not instigate violence or display “obviously aggressive or threatening behavior while on the hotel premises.”
The video shows Mitchell, on the ground, appearing to shield himself from further physical blows. The defendants then forced Mitchell onto his stomach, holding him face down and placing varying amounts of force onto Mitchell’s back, shoulders, and arms for roughly eight to nine minutes until police and emergency responders arrived on the scene.
“During that eight-to-nine-minute period, [Mitchell] tries to break free from the defendants’ restraint multiple times,” the complaint explains. “Towards the end of that time period, [Mitchell] has stopped showing movement or resistance or other signs of life.”
The surveillance video did not provide audio, so investigators cross-referenced that recording with a video of the incident on Facebook that did have sound. Mitchell can be heard in this second video yelling loudly, saying “I’m sorry,” and making sounds “consistent with an individual out of breath,” while the defendants can be heard saying “stay down” and “stop fighting,” according to the complaint.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on Mitchell, including toxicology tests that showed he had 390 mg/L of cocaine and 300 mg/L of methamphetamine in his system. The medical examiner, Dr. Lauren Decker, also noted injuries that were consistent with being dragged across floors and concrete.
Dr. Decker reviewed the surveillance video and later determined that Mitchell “suffered ‘restraint asphyxia’ as a result of four adult males restraining [Mitchell] by the extremities, back, and head,” the complaint said.
The drugs in Mitchell’s system could have caused him to experience restraint asphyxia even without force being applied. But because Mitchell was unwillingly put into that prone position and held there by the defendants, and then suffered restraint asphyxia, Dr. Decker ruled the manner of death to be a homicide.
Statements from the Defendants
Erickson was the security manager on the day of Mitchell’s death and said in an interview with Milwaukee Police Detective Martin Saavedra that his primary responsibility was to monitor surveillance cameras and patrol the premises.
Erickson gave a statement saying he did not “do anything to intentionally harm or kill [Mitchell],” the complaint explained. Erickson confirmed that he had worked at Hyatt as a security officer since April 2018. Security personnel were not provided with safety equipment, but Erickson said he regularly carried his own collapsible baton while working. He also confirmed that security personnel at the hotel are not certified or licensed but are provided with CPR training.
In the statement, Erickson said he’d received defense and arrest tactics training from a previous employer and “verbal judo” training. Erickson also explained that he was “aware of certain escort techniques, pressure points, and that he has been trained to apply the baton in order to move hands behind one’s back.”
The other security officer involved, Turner, was not on duty at the hotel that day but was visiting the staff while on his way to get something to eat. He admitted to punching Mitchell several times, dragging Mitchell out of the building, and that he was involved in rolling Mitchell onto his stomach before holding him on the ground.
At the end of the complaint, the district attorney’s office said the combined actions of the four defendants damaged or made Mitchell’s physical condition worse—primarily his ability to breathe.
“Thus, by holding [Mitchell] against his will, face first on the ground in a manner that prevented him from breathing due to his weight and consumption of drugs, the defendants impaired [Mitchell’s] physical condition,” the complaint explained. “All of these factors, the gasping, the actions and words of [Mitchell], the distress he was in, show that all four defendants were aware that holding [Mitchell] face first on the ground was ‘practically certain’ to cause ‘impairment of his physical condition.’”
The criminal complaint said the defendants caused Mitchell’s death while committing misdemeanor battery. If convicted, they face penalties of up to 15 years and nine months in prison.
