GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Wesley Brice was convicted Monday of stabbing two people, killing one, rather than going to trial next week.
Brice, 24, pleaded no contest to five counts, including first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree reckless endangering safety, for the March 15, 2021 incidents on Green Bay’s west side.
Four other counts were dismissed as part of the plea deal.
The intentional homicide count carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison. At the Dec. 16 sentencing, Judge John Zakowski will determine if or when Brice would first be eligible to ask for parole.
Brice previously pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. However, the so-called insanity defense was dropped as part of the court actions Monday.
According to the criminal complaint, Brice entered Rockabilly’s bar and started talking with Jamie Grunwald, a bartender. After Grunwald told him to leave, Brice dragged her into a bathroom and stabbed her before she was able to get away.
Moments later, police responded to a vehicle on Broadway, where a man was found with five stab wounds, including one to the chest.
A witness said Brice punched out a window in the vehicle, then stabbed the victim, age 70. Investigators have not released his name.
When police arrived, Brice was near the vehicle, “shouting things like, he is the real God” and then was placed into custody.
“As officers brought Wesley over to the squad car, he was not making coherent sentences and was saying, ‘I am God.’ Other officers on scene then secured Wesley in the squad car. Officers had the windows rolled down and could hear Wesley still making statements that did not make any sense. Wesley then began repeating his name over and over again saying, ‘Wesley James Brice, Wesley James Brice.’ It was clear to officers on scene that Wesley was in some sort of excited mental state and did not know what was going on,” the complaint states.
After being taken to the hospital, Brice was more coherent and said he didn’t mean to hurt anyone.
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