Joshua Walcott (Manitowoc Co. Jail)
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Joshua Walcott was sentenced Friday to life in prison – with a chance for parole after 25 years – for shooting and killing Malachi Moore in an argument about who made more money.
Walcott was 19 at the time of the shooting, and is now 21. He was convicted by a jury of first-degree intentional homicide for the May 2021 shooting at a Two Rivers residence. The victim, Moore, was 17.
In addition to the life prison term, Walcott was sentenced to 20 years in prison for separate sexual assault convictions, but those terms will be served at the time as the murder sentence.
At Friday’s hearing, Moore’s mom, Tara Swetlik, lamented the loss of her son. She asked for a prison term without the chance of parole.
“You betrayed my son,” she told Walcott. “You killed me, along with others. Life will never be the same. You stole my son.”
Moore’s father, Anthony Moore, said he hopes Walcott suffers during his prison term.
“If it was up to me, I’d ask them to let you go home today so I could take your life myself. But for my own sake, I’m going to forgive you today. I’ll never forgot.,” Moore said.
Walcott’s mother, Ieisha Walcott declared her son is innocent and is not the monster others are making him out to be.
“I know in my heart and my soul, my son loved Malachi. He did. His best friend. I would like to extend my condolences, from my family to Malachi’s family,” she said.
Walcott, who did not apologize, called Moore “a brother and a friend,” and said “Malachi was family to me.”
His attorney, Matt Last, said Walcott disagreed with verdict on the intentional aspect of the homicide verdict, but accepts it.
Judge Jerilyn Dietz noted Walcott has some good qualities and talents, but instead has shown a consistent disregard for the law and norms of society.
“In this case, you were 19 years old. That’s awfully young to irrevocably alter the course of your life,” the judge said. “You can do better. But you need to choose to. And, so far, you have not chosen to.”
According to the criminal complaint, Walcott and Moore were arguing over who made more money. A witness said the argument grew more intense and the two were getting in each other’s faces. The witness said Walcott grabbed a gun from on top of a dresser and began waving it around, eventually firing the shot that killed Moore.
In an interview with police, Walcott said he and Moore were like “blood brothers.” He admitted shooting Moore: “I guess I pulled the trigger,” he was quoted as saying.
Walcott said he wanted to apply pressure to the wound to stop it from bleeding, but “didn’t want to touch it… it’s a whole different story when you’re in it”. Walcott told police it felt like he was in a dream. “I don’t understand how it led up to that,” he said, according to the criminal complaint.
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