Grandfather Beat 12-Year-Old to Death After Accusing Him of Stealing Money—Police

A 12-year-old boy was beaten to death by his grandfather, who accused the child of stealing his money, authorities said.

Andrez Martina, 53, is facing multiple charges including first-degree intentional homicide, physical abuse of a child—repeated acts causing death, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

According to a criminal complaint filed on Tuesday, Martina allegedly used a sledgehammer, wood cane, mallet and coat rack to assault Andre Smith II.

Smith and his eight-year-old brother had slept over at Martina's house in the 4600 block of N 46th Street in Milwaukee on Saturday night, according to the complaint.

Illysha McCroy, the boy's grandmother and legal guardian, had received a text message from Martina accusing Smith of stealing his money. When McCroy asked where the boy was, Martina replied: "He's bleeding."

She frantically woke up her daughter, Nia Moore, and Moore's boyfriend, Anthony Anderson on Sunday morning and told them to go and collect them immediately.

When they arrived, the eight-year-old opened the door and immediately ran to the car, the complaint said.

Anderson saw Martina come to the door followed by Moore yelling, "Oh my God, you are going to jail for this."

When Anderson went inside, he saw Martina dragging the boy's body—which was covered entirely in blood—from the bathroom into he kitchen. There was a large amount of blood and what appeared to be brain matter on the kitchen floor and walls, according to the complaint.

Smith was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital. He was stabilized and then moved to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where he died later on Sunday.

His cause of death was listed as multiple blunt force injuries to the head and the manner of the boy's death was ruled a homicide.

His younger brother was treated for a laceration to the top of the head and a fractured finger.

Police interviewed the boys' great-grandmother, who lives with Martina.

She said she was woken up in the early hours of Sunday morning by the sound of Martina yelling at Smith.

She told police she saw Martina striking Smith all over the boy with a hammer, before picking up her wood cane and striking him with that.

When Smith fled to the kitchen, Martina followed him and continued to strike him. The great-grandmother said she believed Martina beat the boy for around 90 minutes. The complaint noted that she is disabled, making it difficult for her to intervene.

The complaint said the eight-year-old boy told police that his grandfather was angry about missing money and beat the boys. He said Martina struck them with a mallet, a sledgehammer and a coat rack. The boy said Martina choked his brother with a belt, then threw him into the wall, causing him to bleed profusely. He then took a cane and began to strike them both in the head with it, the boy said.

Child Denied Taking the Money

In an interview on Monday, Martina told police that he awoke at 3 a.m. on Sunday to use the bathroom and found his wallet open and money missing. He confronted Smith, who turned his pockets inside out and denied taking the money.

Martina said he started striking Smith demanding he get the money. The boy retrieved the money from a cousin's bedroom, after which Martina continued striking the boy.

He admitted to losing control, telling police that he "will ahh to deal with this sh** for the rest of my life."

During the interview, Martina admitted to killing a boy in 1989, the complaint said.

According to WISN 12 News, Martina pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless homicide in 1989.

"That was an accidental shooting or something. I had no idea about that," McCroy told the station. "All I know is that I wouldn't think he would harm his grandkids like that."

Smith's mother, Nakeda Martina, told the station that she had been fighting to regain custody of her children and had raised concerns about their safety to state social workers. "I've been calling [Child Protective Services] since last year," she said.

CPS have been contacted for comment.

If convicted, Martina could face up to two life sentences, plus 60 years in prison and could be fined up to $225,000.