Pizza Hut employee convicted of killing manager | Regional/national headlines

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WDJT) – A sentence has been handed down for the employee accused of killing a Pizza Hut manager in South Milwaukee.

Kavonn Ingram was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree involuntary manslaughter. He pleaded guilty back in August and was sentenced on October 4th.

Ingram was also sentenced to an additional five years in prison for possession of the murder weapon that Ingram took, which prosecutors said was the weapon of another restaurant employee.

Ingram is accused of killing 55-year-old Alexander Stengel, whose body was found in a trash can outside the restaurant in February. Investigators believe Stengel was killed in the kitchen area of ​​the Pizza Hut and wrapped in a trash bag before Ingram disposed of the body.

An autopsy revealed that Stengel had been shot in the head at close range and had stab wounds to his neck and head. The criminal complaint states that Stengel cashed an inheritance check shortly before heading to work that day and likely had $7,000 in his possession.

In court, Ingram claimed he acted in self-defense. “The altercation did not have to become physical until it was initiated by the deceased – in a state of panic, anxiety, fear, sadness and the idea that I would never receive proper justice, I committed inexcusable acts after the altercation,” said him before sentencing.

Judge Michelle Havas responded before announcing her decision. “Honestly, I don’t believe you. “I don’t believe for a second that this was anything other than a cold-blooded execution of someone who worked at a Pizza Hut for poor wages for 33 years, because that’s exactly what he could do,” Judge Havas said.

Prosecutors spoke in court about Ingram's attempts to cover up the murder by hiding the body, keeping the victim away from work and sending him text messages from his phone.

“I take responsibility for my wrong actions following the altercation at Pizza Hut, but the events leading up to the altercation, as well as the physical altercation, caused me to act in survival mode,” Ingram said.

Ingram's grandmother also spoke before the verdict about her grandson's difficult upbringing. She said his actions were not who he really was and asked the judge for leniency.

Investigators say the Pizza Hut had no surveillance cameras, but based on video from a nearby restaurant, they believe Stengel was killed on Feb. 5.

His body was found on February 7th and Ingram was arrested on the 11th. Stengel's niece, nephew and sister spoke in court about the impact of the crime on their family.

“I imagine his suffering. And his torment. His voice haunts me. I wonder what he was thinking in those final moments,” Pamela Stengel said.

A restitution hearing is scheduled for next month.