A Wisconsin man, aged 39, is facing a life sentence after being convicted of murdering a liquor store cashier in a dispute over a pizza. The victim, who had recently become a father, lost his life in this senseless act of violence.

Charles J. Leggett was found guilty by a Milwaukee County jury on charges of first-degree intentional homicide with a dangerous weapon and illegal possession of a firearm. The verdict came in relation to the tragic death of 26-year-old Jamil I. Owies, according to court records reviewed by Law&Crime.

The jury needed less than half an hour of deliberation to reach a unanimous decision, convicting Leggett on both counts. He is slated to stand before Circuit Judge David L. Borowski for sentencing on December 17.

According to previous reports from Law&Crime, the Milwaukee Police Department responded to a 911 call at approximately 11:50 a.m. on October 19, 2024. The incident occurred at Action Food and Liquor, located in the 3400 block of N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, where witnesses reported hearing a gunshot and discovering the victim lying behind the counter.

Upon arrival, emergency responders found Owies with a gunshot wound to his chest. Despite their best efforts to revive him, he was unresponsive and without a pulse. Paramedics soon arrived, but sadly, Owies was declared dead at the scene.

An employee who was working at the time told police he worked at the shop as a cook and stock person. The employee was stacking coolers when Owies told him there was a pizza order. A short time later, the employee said Leggett came to the back of the store where he was cooking, but there were “too many objects in the way” for him to see Leggett clearly.

When Leggett returned to Owies at the counter, the two began “speaking loudly and arguing” for about a minute before the employee heard a gunshot followed by the sound of the door of the store opening and closing. He ran to the front of the store and found Owies “on the ground gasping for air,” police wrote in a probable cause affidavit.

Security video from inside the store appears to show that Leggett did walk to the back after placing his pizza order before returning to the front and arguing with Owies. Police said the video “was of high quality” and that “the shooter”s face clearly visible.”

“Though the video does not have audio, it is apparent the shooter is upset, and begins to motion his hands at Owies,” the affidavit states. “Owies appears to argue back, and then the shooter reaches his hand into his right pocket where the handle of a handgun can be seen protruding from his pocket. The shooter then positions himself at the counter, and abruptly reaches over the counter with his right hand with the handgun in hand. The shooter puts the gun to Owies’ chest, shooting Owies, and then quickly runs out of the store, as Owies falls to the ground behind the counter.”

Authorities located Leggett and placed him under arrest. During a post-Miranda interview, Leggett allegedly explained that he went to the store for pizza but “observed the worker was making his pizza with no gloves on” and demanded someone else remake his food while wearing gloves.

“The Defendant informed Owies it was unsanitary, then Owies became loud with the Defendant and said he would do something to the Defendant,” the affidavit states. “[Police] asked the Defendant what he did, and the Defendant replied ‘I shot him.’ The Defendant stated he only shot one time, then ran out of the store and drove to a friends house and did not tell anyone what happened. He indicated he threw the clothes he was wearing out.”

When he appears for his sentencing hearing next month, Leggett faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.