https://www.wkow.com/news/crime/2-m...cle_d7e2ded6-0dd2-404c-80f7-960ca3c65f3f.html
$2 Million bail set for suspect in deadly garage shooting
$2 Million bail set for suspect in deadly garage shooting
MADISON (WKOW)
— A 31-year-old is now charged with first-degree intentional homicide in connection to a deadly shooting inside a downtown parking garage.
Diamond Wallace made their initial appearance in Dane County Court Wednesday, accused of killing
61-year-old Christine Jones, who was found shot to death Sunday morning inside a parking ramp in the 300 block of West Washington Avenue.
According to the criminal complaint, officers were called to the garage just before 8 a.m. for a report of a person on the ground. Initially believed to be a fall, first responders quickly determined Jones had been shot. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy found the bullet entered Jones’ mid-back and exited through her abdomen, traveling downward from left to right. Investigators recovered a single .380 caliber shell casing near her body. No weapon was found at the scene.
Police say Jones, a housekeeping supervisor at a nearby hotel, had just arrived for work and typically parked on a lower level before walking up to access the building.
Surveillance video captured two figures on the parking level around the time of the shooting, one walking, followed seconds later by another figure running along the same path. Moments later, video shows movement consistent with Jones collapsing to the ground. Another camera captured a person in a blue hooded sweatshirt leaving the garage shortly after.
Investigators identified Wallace, a former coworker of Jones, as a suspect. According to the complaint, Wallace had been fired from the hotel in April 2025 and had a history of conflicts with staff, including Jones. Employees reported Wallace returned multiple times after being terminated, making threats and causing disturbances.
The complaint also details prior incidents, including allegations that Wallace slashed Jones’ tires and broke another employee’s phone. Police say Wallace blamed Jones for their termination and had expressed hostility toward her.
Detectives later tracked Wallace using city camera footage and arrested them at a Madison apartment. During a search of the residence, officers recovered a .380 caliber handgun and a blue hooded sweatshirt matching the one seen on surveillance video. Investigators say a test-fired casing from that gun matched the casing found at the crime scene.
The complaint also links the same firearm to a separate January incident in which Wallace allegedly fired a gun at a family member.
Wallace, who has a prior felony conviction from 2021, is also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
During questioning, Wallace denied knowing Jones and claimed to have been at work at the time of the shooting. However, investigators say work records show Wallace was not scheduled to work that day.
In court Wednesday, a family member of Jones spoke about the impact of her death.
"We are struggling every second of every day with the overwhelming trauma and grief this has caused," they said.
Prosecutors requested $1 million bail, while the victim’s family asked for $10 million. A judge ultimately set bail at $2 million, citing the seriousness of the allegations and concerns about public safety. Conditions include GPS monitoring and no contact with the victim’s family.
"This is a pretty scary situation with really serious conduct that is alleged," the judge said. "That gives rise to a concern about the safety of the community."
If convicted, Wallace faces a mandatory life sentence.
