Yorkville Homicide was Robbery Gone Wrong, Suspect Says

The Racine County District Attorney formally charged the man they say shot Robert Greene in August while Greene was visiting friends during a robbery went wrong.

Scott Mertins, 46, of Sturtevant, was charged in Racine County Circuit Court Tuesday with one count of first degree reckless homicide, use of a dangerous weapon; armed robbery; operating a motor vehicle without owner's consent; and possession of a firearm by a felon. If convincted, he faces up to 91 years in prison and/or up to $85,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint, Racine County Sheriff's deputies were called to a residence in the 16300 block of Plank Road in the Town of Yorkville shortly after 2 a.m. on Aug. 26. When deputies arrived, they found Robert Greene lying on the ground with a wound near his left side by his armpit. They called for rescue and tranport to Wheaton Franciscan St. Mary's Hospital, but medical staff there were unable to start and keep Greene's heart going. He was pronounced dead at 3:40 a.m.

An autopsy by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's office revealed the cause of death as a gunshot wound that penetrated Greene's aorta and lodged in his backbone.

A witness told deputies that they were asleep in the pole barn of the property with Greene when the blanket they were using was pulled off them. This person reportedly said they saw Greene facing the suspect when they saw a flash. Greene raised his hands, then grabbed his chest and fell backwards. 

According to the witness, the suspect ran south, down the driveway of the home, while holding a gun. Interviews with other witnesses revealed that Mertins was a disgruntled ex-employee of the property owner and there had been some trouble before.

Mertins also allegedly took the witness' car along with this person's bag that contained a cell phone, Greene's cell phone and cash. When deputies tracked the stolen cell phone, it was pinging in the area of Florence Drive in Sturtevant. When the RCSD went to the area for further investigation, they discovered the witness' belongings along Lori Lane near 90th Street, not more than a block away from Mertins' last known address.

When deputies discovered that Mertins had boarded a bus headed for Texas with his daughter and his daughter's boyfriend, the RCSD contacted the bus line. They also communicated with law enforcement in New Madrid, Missouri, so when the bus stopped there, they were able to take Mertins into custody on an outstanding warrant for violating his probation for a forgery case filed in 1999.

Investigators traveled to Missouri at Mertins' request and he reportedly waived his right to an attorney while he talked with RCSD deputies. 

Mertins allegedly told investigators the Yorkville property owner had some his things and he wanted them back. He drove there with his daughter and his daughter's boyfriend with the intent to get some things out of the pole barn. When they arrived at the residence, Mertins supposedly went into the pole barn to get a bike and some bottles of alcohol. He said he saw two people sleeping in the barn and was on his way out when the victim startled him and Mertins fired.

He said he saw car keys sitting on a table in the pole barn so he grabbed them thinking he could put the bike in the back of the car, drop the bike off in Sturtevant and bring the car back to Yorkville. He said he took the bag with the money and discarded it over a fence on 90th Street. Mertins also reportedly dismantled the gun and disposed of the pieces in several locations, all of which he told the deputies.

Mertins said his daughter and his daughter's boyfriend were not involved in the incidents and were only on the bus with them because their trip back to Texas had already been planned.

He remains in the Racine County Jail on a $250,000 cash bond. Mertins will next be in court on Oct. 3 for a preliminary hearing before Court Commissioner Alice A. Rudebusch.