WARNING: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence
MILWAUKEE — Prosecutors say a man admitted to beating and stabbing a woman he described as a prostitute, before wrapping her body in sheets and dragging it to a shed behind his Wisconsin home Sunday.
John Gillum, 29, then walked into a police station and told officers he committed a homicide, according to WITI. Prosecutors say it happened after a dispute over how much money would be paid for sex acts.
Gillum, of Milwaukee, faces one count of first degree intentional homicide and one count of second degree sexual assault after he allegedly beat 19-year-old Morgan Huennekens to death.
According to a criminal complaint, Gillum told police he “lost control and killed her with a knife and pipe.”
Huennekens’ body was located wrapped in blankets on the floor of the shed – with two belts wrapped around her.
During an interview with investigators, Gillum said he met Huennekens “a few days ago” and they exchanged numbers, and then began messaging about “having sex for money.” She met him at his house on March 3.
Gillum initially told investigators “he had committed a violent crime” and mentioned something about dying or being killed in a past life and “he sensed something in his head that he had to kill the victim.”
He said while Huennekens was at his home, they were discussing the price of sex and Huennekens said if he wasn’t going to pay, she was going to leave. He said he got mad, and punched Huennekens in the face before covering her mouth and tying her up. He said they then had sex, and afterwards, he “took a knife and stabbed her in the neck,” adding that he “remembered from watching movies how to stab someone,” according to court documents.
Gillum said Huennekens was beginning to suffer, so he grabbed a metal pipe and hit her with it “so she no longer had to suffer.” He described it as a violent attack “upside her head.” He said he then wrapped her up in bedroom sheets and tied belts around her to secure the sheets, he told investigators, then “used a bear hug” to carry her downstairs to the shed.
Gillum was re-interviewed the next day, and said he had argued with Huennekens when she didn’t have change to give him. He said they agreed upon $160 for sex acts and he had $200, and she did not have change, so she said she would do more sex acts to cover the $40. He said he didn’t want to spend $200 when they agreed on $160.
The complaint says he admitted to stabbing her “five to six times because she was not dying fast enough.” He said he tied Huennekens to the bed frame “so she could not get away.” He said Huennekens told him to stop and “begged for her life.” He said he “took this into consideration,” but once he punched her “it all happened in one wave.” He said he “should’ve been smarter about it,” and killed her a few blocks away from his house.
An autopsy revealed Huennekens died as a result of numerous stab wounds and blunt force injuries.
Below is Morgan Huennekens’ obituary:
