A Canadian tourist who came to Wisconsin to golf was shot and killed in late September, and the case is now heading to trial with new details emerging from Wednesday's court proceedings in Sheboygan.
Luis Cruz Burgos, 35, appeared in court with his attorney and an interpreter, facing charges in connection with the death of 32-year-old Giovanni "Mike" Robinson from Ontario.
Cruz Burgos has been held on a $2 million bond.
Sheboygan Falls Police Officer Sung Oetzel testified that he arrived at the scene about two minutes after a 911 call on September 24, just after midnight.
"I observed one white male that was laying on his back with blood in his abdomen area," Oetzel said.
Watch: Man accused in Canadian tourist's shooting death appears in court
The officer spoke with the men Robinson was walking with in downtown Sheboygan Falls, who described hearing the fatal shot.
"He saw the brake light and then he heard one loud firecracker sound what he advised was a gunshot," Oetzel said.
According to the criminal complaint, Robinson's group attempted to negotiate a ride with Cruz Burgos, offering him cash payment. When officers contacted Cruz Burgos hours later, he allegedly initially denied any encounter with the group.
"Then he changed his story, and said that once he finished delivering the food, he made contact with four white males, and they were negotiating for a ride home," Oetzel said.
The defense appeared skeptical about how officers questioned Cruz Burgos, particularly regarding language barriers during the investigation.
"It sounded to you, as a non-Spanish speaker, that she was speaking Spanish fluently?" the defense attorney asked Oetzel, who confirmed this observation.
The defense also noted that no firearm was found in connection with the shooting.
Cruz Burgos will return to court for his arraignment on November 17.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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