Amarah Banks Update: Ex-Boyfriend Charged For Allegedly Killing Milwaukee Mother And Her Two Daughters

The ex-boyfriend of a Milwaukee woman whose body was found along with the bodies of her two daughters was formally charged for his alleged involvement Tuesday.

Arzel Ivery, 25, was charged in Milwaukee with killing Amarah Banks, 26, and her daughters Zaniya Ivery, 5, and Camaria Banks, 4. He was arrested in Memphis on Friday and is facing charges of homicide and aggravated battery.

Memphis police are expected to extradite Ivery to Milwaukee within the next week.

Milwaukee police said they had spoken with Ivery on Feb. 7, and he told them he last saw Banks during the funeral for their 1-year-old son. Ivery reportedly said Banks “was upset and making a scene” during the funeral and was arguing with him “because Ms. Banks blamed the defendant for the death of their son” before she left. Police asked if he was available to speak in person, but said he would be out of state until Feb. 21.

Memphis police said Ivery’s father turned him over on Friday, saying his son allegedly had confessed.

Milwaukee police said investigators searched Bank’s apartment and allegedly found the “presence of human blood” in one of the closets. A K-9 unit “detected an odor of decomposing human remains” in the daughters’ room.

Investigators were sent to Memphis to interview Ivery after he was arrested and he allegedly confessed. He said his relationship with Banks had become “tense” after their son’s death and she had confronted him several times at work.

He said he reportedly went to Banks apartment around 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 8 to speak with her when they got into another argument. The argument reportedly escalated and Ivery allegedly pushed Banks against the wall twice before strangling her. He next allegedly strangled Zaniya and Camaria, reportedly telling police he “did not want the children to live in a world where they did not have their mother.”

Ivery allegedly tried dismembering the bodies, but said he stopped because he “didn't like looking at the bone.” He reportedly took the bodies to a garage at his old apartment building where he allegedly burned them.