What Happened to Prince McCree? Teen Gets Life in Prison in Wisconsin Case

The story of Prince McCree has reached a legal end. A Wisconsin judge has sentenced both people convicted in the death to life in prison. Prince was only 5 years old when he disappeared from his Milwaukee home in October 2023.

At first, his family believed he was missing. Then, the case turned into something much darker. Police found Prince’s body in a dumpster about a mile from where he was last seen. Now, Erik Mendoza, who was 15 at the time of Prince’s death, will spend decades behind bars.

Prince was last seen on Oct. 25, 2023, at the Milwaukee home where he lived with his family. According to the criminal complaint obtained by Fox 6, Prince’s mother, Jordan Barger, kept him home from school that day because he had a cough and sore throat. She last saw him around 9 a.m. and believed he went to the basement to play video games. Later that day, Jordan realized Prince was missing and contacted police. His parents and neighbors searched the area, hoping to find him alive.

Police found Prince’s body the next morning in a dumpster near Hawley Road and Vliet Street. The discovery shocked the Milwaukee community and quickly turned the missing child case into a homicide investigation. Authorities later charged Erik and David Pietura in connection with Prince’s killing. Both lived in the same home as Prince and his family, according to Fox News.

When police arrested David, he eventually told investigators he knew where Prince’s body was. According to 12 News, David told officers, “It wasn’t me,” “I didn’t want any of this,” and “I loved that kid,” before telling them Prince’s body was in a dumpster behind a bar.

Surveillance video showed Erik and David walking through an alley while carrying a garbage bag. GPS information also placed them near the alley where Prince’s body was later found.

Erik initially denied hurting Prince or knowing where he was. According to the complaint, he later admitted to strangling and beating the little boy.

Erik pleaded guilty in February to five of the six charges against him. Those charges included first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse and three counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety. On June 5, a Milwaukee County judge sentenced Erik to life in prison. He will not be eligible to petition for release for 50 years. Prince’s family spoke in court before the sentence. His mother, Jordan Barger, said she wanted Erik to receive the maximum punishment.

"I hope he gets the maximum, because my baby didn't deserve anything," Jordan said, per Fox 6. "He was five, you were 15. That's a very, very big difference. And like I said, I'm just happy justice got served."

David, the other man charged in Prince’s death, had already been sentenced before Erik. David pleaded guilty to first-degree intentional homicide in 2024 after reaching a deal with prosecutors. A judge sentenced David to life in prison in July 2024.