Hunter
09/21/20
A Muscatine man has pleaded not guilty in the July stabbing death of a Wilton teen.
The Muscatine Journal reports that 21-year-old Milton Jermaine Cole Serrano Junior waived his right to a speedy trial in a written arraignment. Serrano’s attorney has requested a conference to set a trial date.
Serrano faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of 19-year-old Chantz Stevens.
Police reports say Serrano was at a party in rural Clarence Iowa early July 19th and allegedly keyed a vehicle causing about a thousand dollars in damage. Other attendees confronted Serrano and he was asked to leave. A subsequent physical altercation with another person was broken up and the parties were separated. Serrano reportedly made reference to a knife in his pocket and he allegedly threatened to stab other individuals at the party.
Serrano was then involved in an altercation with Stevens that ended up with the two of them on the ground. That’s when Serrano is accused of taking the knife out of his pocket and stabbing Stevens twice in the abdomen. Someone was able to get the knife away from Serrano, who then reportedly made reference to going to his vehicle and getting a gun. Associates of Serrano were able to finally convince him to leave and go to Muscatine.
Stevens was attended to by people at the scene, but efforts were unsuccessful and he died.
Later that day, Serrano made reference to being in a physical altercation and stabbing someone in a social media post. A picture posted with the message showed what appeared to be dried blood on his clothes.
Law enforcement located Serrano at a Muscatine residence, where he allegedly admitted to being in an altercation and stabbing someone. A search warrant turned up clothing consistent with those described by witnesses, and were seized.
Serrano remains in the Cedar County Jail in lieu of a million-dollar cash-only bond.