June 28, 2019 10:45am; Updated noon; 12:30p; 12:50p; 1:10p; 2:30p; June 29
(WGTD)---Media outlets are reporting that the suspect in the murder of Racine Police Officer John Hetland was released from prison just four days before the crime.
26-year-old Dalquavis Ward of Milwaukee had been serving time for the robbery of a Racine liquor store in 2014. Ward--released early and placed on probation--had been serving a five-year sentence.
Ward's probation was officially revoked Friday.
His initial appearance on murder and attempted robbery charges will be held Monday afternoon in Racine.
According to online records, the liquor store that was robbed was Colonial Liquor at 2813 Taylor Ave. Ward committed the crime with another man.
As a juvenile, Ward was involved in some type of robbery in 2008 and at age 14 was sent to Lincoln Hills.
At Ward's sentencing hearing for the 2014 crime, the judge in the case cited a pre-sentence report which indicated that Ward "struggled with a lot of anger, and that that anger caused him to make bad choices and judgement calls." Judge Pamela Pepper noted that she had been saddened and concerned about the defendant's statement that he was afraid to be nice to people because he felt they would take advantage of him. She also noted that Ward did not have a good childhood or a good relationship with his step-father.
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