July 1, 2019 8:10a
(WGTD)---DNA matches from swabs taken from a door knob at Teezer's Bar and Grill and from the body of the victim led authorities to Dalquavis Ward, the recently-released convict who's been accused of killing off-duty Racine police officer John Hetland during a robbery at the bar June 17th. That's according to the criminal complaint that was released several hours before Ward's scheduled Monday afternoon's court appearance in Racine.
Ward has been charged with 1st Degree intentional homicide, armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.
As has been previously reported, the off-duty Hetland jumped over the bar and tackled the masked robber as he was holding a gun on the bartender. The complaint says the bartender scrambled over the bar herself to flee while Hetland and the robber struggled for "approximately" 14 seconds. Then the robber pushes Hetland back "about two to three feet." And that's when the robber's gun goes off, striking Hetland in the chest.
The DNA matches came from swabs collected from Hetland's shirt and body, and from a rear door knob at the bar. Ward's DNA was on file as a result of previous convictions. He'd been serving time for the robbery of a Racine liquor store. He was released from federal prison just four days before the Teezer's robbery.
The complaint suggests that the suspect may not have been familiar with the layout of the bar, as the man, already masked and holding a gun, first tried to get in through a door marked "private" that leads to an upstairs apartment. The robber then asks two patrons that were sitting outside if they had a key. The patrons directed the robber to an unlocked entryway.
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