Greed, jealousy led to quadruple homicide 

Rachel Thompson and her two young children were slaughtered by a trio of thieves who investigators say were motivated by greed and jealously and who, in the course of a single day, turned on one of their own and executed her.

A criminal complaint filed Thursday charges two Milwaukee men, Desmond D. Laster, 21, and Anthony E. Barnes, 23, with first-degree intentional homicide in connection with the deaths of Thompson and her sons Torian Thompson-Carter, 4, and Jaden Thompson-Carter, 3.

They also are charged with killing their accomplice, Brittney Robertson, 19; with setting fire to Thompson's apartment; and with being felons in possession of a firearm. If convicted of all charges, they face up to four life terms in prison plus 70 years.

The 11-page complaint is a graphic account of criminal depravity:

Early Feb. 26, it says, Laster called Barnes and asked him whether he would help his girlfriend, Robertson, move.

Barnes told police, the complaint says, that Robertson shared an upper flat with Thompson and her children in the 800 block of S. 12th St. Besides Torian and Jaden, Thompson had a third child, 6-week-old Maurice Visor. Robertson had once been the girlfriend of the infant's father.
4-year-old killed first

Robertson opened the door for Laster and Barnes, who told police they found Thompson sleeping on the living room couch. Three-year-old Jaden was also on the couch, but he was awake. Four-year-old Torian, seated on another couch, was also awake.

"Hi Des," Torian said to Laster, according to the complaint.

He would be the first killed.

Laster woke Thompson by punching her in the face, Barnes told police, and Torian began to cry.

Laster, Barnes said, duct-taped Thompson's mouth and eyes and demanded to know where she kept her money. She told him in a jacket in her bedroom. Robertson found it - about $800 - and gave it to Laster.

"What type of (expletive) are you to have your baby's daddy's other girl living with you?" Robertson asked Thompson. Robertson would later tell a friend she was still in love with the 6-week-old Maurice's father.

Barnes said Laster then taped Thompson's hands in front of her. In the light of the television set, Barnes said, Robertson and Laster taped Torian's hands behind him. Later, Barnes said, Laster covered the boy's head with a white trash bag, sealed it on the child's neck with duct tape then put him in a bathtub. A medical examiner's report says the boy suffocated.

Laster and Robertson then bound Jaden, Barnes said. Laster fastened a garbage bag over the child's head, and Robertson stabbed the toddler in the neck, Barnes said. Laster placed the boy in the bathtub with his brother.

Robertson then began stabbing Thompson, using the same knife she had used on the boy. Barnes said she continued to stab Thompson until the knife broke. She grabbed another and continued to stab Thompson until it broke as well.

Barnes said he then watched Laster stab Thompson in the neck.

But Thompson remained alive. Barnes said he stood over Thompson with a gun they had taken from Thompson's room. He said he closed his eyes and fired.

The group sprinkled the apartment with lighter fluid, set it on fire and left, taking the 6-week-old boy with them.

Firefighters who were called to the duplex about 5 a.m. discovered the bodies of Thompson and her two children.

Later that day, Robertson left the baby - the son of her former lover - on a sidewalk outside Eastbrook Church, 5385 N. Green Bay Ave.
Robertson talked suicide

About 3 p.m., the complaint says, Robertson called a friend and told him "she had killed Rachel Thompson and Rachel Thompson's two kids because they belonged to Rachel Thompson."

She told the friend she planned to kill herself.

That wouldn't be necessary.

Police officials released Robertson's picture in the afternoon, saying they feared she was in grave danger. Barnes said he and Laster decided that she had become too well-known to the public and that they would have to kill her.

Barnes told police that he drove Laster and Robertson to the 10000 block of W. Kiehnau Ave. It was about 6 p.m. Barnes said the three of them walked through a wooden gate near a townhouse.

Laster stepped out of the way, Barnes said, and using the gun he had used on Thompson, he shot Robertson in the back of the head.