The 27-year-old woman accused of fatally shooting a dentist and dental director during a dispute over loud music at an apartment complex in Wisconsin pleaded not guilty on May 5, according to multiple news stories.
Keionna McGowan. Image courtesy of the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.
Keionna McGowan, who was charged on April 24 with second-degree reckless homicide with use of a dangerous weapon in connection with the shooting death of 41-year-old Dr. Akintunde Bowden, a dental director at Milwaukee Health Services, also waived her right to a preliminary hearing. The charge against McGowan is being held for trial, and she will appear in court for a scheduling conference in June, according to the stories.
Also, multiple inconsistencies, including whether Bowden was intoxicated during their dispute, were discussed at the proceeding. McGowan told police that Bowden was drinking beer, however, police stated that a can of sparkling water was found next to his feet.
On April 19, McGowan was reportedly in her apartment trying on clothes, doing her hair, and listening to music when she heard someone aggressively banging on her door. McGowan told the authorities that she opened the door and saw Bowden, who appeared to be intoxicated and yelling incoherently about her music. She claimed she felt threatened by his behavior, according to the stories.
After she reportedly told Bowden that she would turn her music down, she shut her apartment door. Then she allegedly heard Bowden kicking her door so hard that it shook her apartment. She told police that she feared he might try to break into her home, according to the stories.
Dr. Akintunde Bowden. Image courtesy of Milwaukee Health Services Inc.
McGowan got her gun and reopened the door. She claimed that she fired one gunshot when Bowden made a kicking motion.
When police responded to a call of shots fired, McGowan was wearing a dress and no shoes and was running from the apartment complex. She was yelling for help and saying someone was in her apartment, according to the stories.
Bowden was found face down in the doorway of McGowan's apartment with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The dentist was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy revealed that Bowden died from a single gunshot wound, which traveled through multiple organs and vertebrae, according to the stories.
Bowden’s fiancée told police that the dental director had been at home watching basketball prior to the shooting. His fiancée said there had been previous complaints about noise from McGowan’s apartment, but Bowden had never personally confronted her.
McGowan faces up to 30 years in prison plus up to $100,000 in fines if she is convicted.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
