3 charged in the shooting death of U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Aundre Cross in Milwaukee
Three people have been charged in federal court in the shooting death of U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Aundre Cross.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced two men, Kevin McCaa, 36, and Charles Ducksworth Jr., 26, were accused of shooting and killing Cross, 44, on the 5000 block of N. 65th Street on Dec. 9.
A third individual, Shanelle McCoy, 34, is also charged with providing false statements to law enforcement.
“Today’s charges are the direct result of the tireless efforts of dedicated law enforcement professionals from the Milwaukee Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and other federal, state, and local partners,” U.S. Attorney Gregory Haanstad said in a statement. “I commend the hard work and collaboration of all involved in seeking justice for the victim, his family, and his loved ones.”
Cross was an 18-year employee of the U.S. Postal Service and a father who has been remembered fondly by family and coworkers alike. Gov. Tony Evers ordered flags across the state to be flown at half-staff on the day of Cross' funeral services.
Law enforcement had previously offered a reward of $50,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of those involved.
All three defendants are in custody.
“These arrests should make very clear to criminals everywhere that the Postal Inspection Service will not rest when it comes to solving attacks like this,” Kai Pickens, the acting inspector-in-charge of the Chicago Division U.S. Postal Inspection Service, said in a statement. “If you harm one of our employees, we will find you and put you behind bars.”
McCaa has also been charged with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, while Ducksworth is also charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Of the three defendants, McCaa is the only one with a prior criminal history, according to online court records. Between 2004 and 2018, he was convicted six times of possessing THC and one felony count of fleeing or eluding an officer.
He became involved in two more serious cases in December 2021 and June of this year. In the first case, McCaa was charged with three felonies, including recklessly endangering safety and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He posted a $3,500 cash bail days after being charged, according to online court records.
About six months later, McCaa was charged with five more felonies, including two counts of recklessly endangering safety and possession of a firearm. He posted a $15,000 cash bail the same day charges were filed, records said.
McCaa continued to attend hearings in both cases, most recently appearing at the Milwaukee County Courthouse Dec. 16, one week after Cross' death, for a status conference in the second case.
The criminal complaint
According to the criminal complaint, McCaa and Ducksworth were allegedly seen on various surveillance videos following Cross while he was delivering mail in the area for about an hour prior to the murder. The vehicle they were using at the time did not have license plates.
Around 4:38 p.m., one of the suspects (who is not specified) is seen on surveillance video exiting the vehicle, approaching Cross from behind, and then a gunshot is heard. The suspects then fled in the vehicle.
Minutes later, they can be seen on surveillance video on the southside of the pedestrian bridge on West Parkway Drive. A gun that matched the casing from the murder was found in the creek near that location on Dec. 19, according to the complaint.
Later that night, the two suspects were seen at a gas station in the same vehicle with license plates attached.
Investigators found the vehicle and plates were registered to McCoy. When interviewing her on Dec. 12, she told law enforcement she was in possession of the vehicle doing DoorDash deliveries during the time of the murder, according to the complaint. Her app showed her logged in from 12:03 a.m. to 10:55 p.m. that day.
However, investigators found footage of McCoy making deliveries in a different vehicle that was registered to Ducksworth during the time of the murder. She is later seen switching back to her own vehicle around 10 p.m. before logging off the app, the complaint stated.
On Dec. 27, law enforcement executed search warrants on five related residences and arrested the three suspects. From one residence where McCaa and McCoy were arrested, two glock magazines and several rounds of ammunition were recovered.
When arresting Ducksworth, law enforcement discovered a Glock 9mm handgun with a drum magazine and a large quantity of marijuana, which was believed to be for distribution.
It is unclear from the complaint if, or how, the suspects and Cross had any relationship prior to the murder. The complaint does detail a missing package suspected of containing drugs that was in Cross’ possession but never delivered nor returned to a postal facility on Dec. 2 around 9 p.m.
The complaint stated that this “could indicate that a USPS employee retained the parcel or provided it to someone else outside of normal operations.” It did not share any more details about this or how this, and other, packages mentioned in the complaint relate to the murder.
Contact Elliot Hughes at elliot.hughes@jrn.com or 414-704-8958. Follow him on Twitter @elliothughes12.