Monday, November 26, 2012
A Sterling Heights man is accused of murdering four women last year and leaving their bodies locked in the trunk of their vehicles in the streets of Detroit.
A 24-year-old Sterling Heights man has been charged in the murder of four women whose bodies were found locked in the trunk of their own vehicles on the streets of Detroit, reports ClickOnDetroit.com. The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office has accused James Brown of murdering Demesha Hunt, Renesha Landers, Natasha Curtis and Vernithea McCrary, according to the news website. Brown was expected to be formally arraigned Monday on the charges. ClickonDetroit.com said Brown faces four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of disinterment and mutilation of a dead body, one count of arson of real property, and one count of arson of personal property. If convicted, he could spend life in prison. Prosecutors allege Brown met the four women on…
Monday, August 13, 2012
Joe Gentz, the man charged with first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the January strangulation death of Grosse Pointe Park's Jane E. Bashara, will have his preliminary exam another time.
The preliminary exam for Joe Gentz, who is charged in the January strangulation death of Jane E. Bashara, has been adjourned at the request of his court-appointed attorney Susan Reed, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. Gentz had been scheduled to appear before the judge Monday afternoon in 36th District Court in Detroit for his preliminary exam—the hearing in which prosecutors introduce the evidence against the accused and the judge determines whether it's sufficient enough for the prosecutor to continue pursuing the case. Judge Kenneth J. King signed an order early Monday to adjourn the hearing following a request by his attorney, according to Maria Miller, the spokeswoman for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. A new …
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Judge Mark Fratarcangeli finds Viktor Shaholli not competent to stand trial for the Nov. 20 fatal shooting on Recreation Street.
A St. Clair Shores man charged in the Nov. 20 fatal shooting on Recreation Street was found not competent to stand trial Tuesday. 40th District Court Judge Mark Fratarcangeli made the ruling in the competency exam of Viktor Shaholli after two days of testimony from defense and prosecution experts who conducted psychological examinations of the 62-year-old man. "The court is compelled to believe the defendant is not competent to go forward," said Fratarcangeli as he delivered his decision. "Medical documentation of the most recent psychiatric examination does determine that the defendant is unable to understand the nature of the proceeding presently." Shaholli will now be remanded to the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Ypsilanti, where he…
Monday, June 11, 2012
The handyman charged in the January strangulation death of Grosse Pointe Park resident Jane E. Bashara will undergo a second competency evaluation by an independent doctor at the request of his attorney.
The handyman who worked for Bob Bashara has been found competent to stand trial in the murder and conspiracy charges related to the strangulation death of Jane E. Bashara—a beloved member of the Grosse Pointe Park community, mother and avid volunteer. Wayne County Deputy Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey announced the results of the evaluation Monday in 36th District Court during a brief hearing before Chief Judge Kenneth J. King. Joseph Gentz, most recently of Grosse Pointe Park and formerly of St. Clair Shores, has been housed at Dickerson Lockup Facility since his March 2 arrest in Jane Bashara's January homicide. His court-appointed attorney, Susan Reed, requested Monday that Gentz undergo a second competency evaluation by an independent …
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Two witnesses were called Thursday in the competency exam for a 62-year-old St. Clair Shores man charged in the Nov. 20 fatal shooting on Recreation Street.
Two defense-retained psychiatrists testified Thursday in the competency exam in 40th District Court for Viktor Shaholli who is charged in the Nov. 20 fatal shooting on Recreation Street. Dr. Gerald Shiener testified before District Court Judge Mark Fratarcangeli that after examining the 62-year-old St. Clair Shores resident in the Macomb County Jail, he determined that Shaholli is not competent to stand trial. Shiener stated that Shaholli did not understand the court proceedings and was suffering from severe depression due to the death of his wife two years ago along with brain damage from the use of drugs to treat his migraine headaches. "The only thing he could say was, 'I don't know what I did,'" Shiener testified. A second psychiatrist…
Monday, March 5, 2012
The man who showed up to share information about the strangulation death of Jane Bashara in the days following the discovery of her body made his first appearance today on formal charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Joe Gentz made his first appearance in 36th District Court Monday afternoon via video-conferencing. He is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the January strangulation death of Jane E. Bashara, a beloved Grosse Pointe Park resident and marketing executive. Gentz had worked for Jane Bashara's husband, Bob Bashara, who owns a variety of residential and commercial properties. Gentz had done some handyman work for Bob Bashara and the two came to know each other late last year, Bob Bashara's attorney David Griem has told the media. Gentz, formerly of St. Clair Shores and most recently from Grosse Pointe Park, was arrested Friday afternoon in Macomb County as he showed up for a custody hearing related to his young…
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The defense attorney for a 62-year-old St. Clair Shores man charged in the Nov. 20 fatal shooting on Recreation Street successfully requested an adjournment for a private competency exam.
The St. Clair Shores man charged in the Nov. 20 fatal shooting on Recreation Street will undergo a second psychiatric exam and return to 40th District Court in April for a competency hearing. The defense attorney for Viktor Shaholli requested the adjournment after the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Ypsilanti found the 62-year-old to be competent to stand trial. "I have serious question about the findings (of the evaluation)," said Timothy Barkovic, defense attorney, about his request. Shaholli will undergo an independent psychiatric evaluation in the coming weeks and will return to court April 13 for a competency hearing. William Cataldo, chief of homicide for the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, did not object to the request. "It is …
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Detroit News is reporting a St. Clair Shores man is being held as a possible accomplice in the murder of Jane Bashara.
Friday, January 27, 2012
A court hearing for the 62-year-old St. Clair Shores man charged in the Nov. 20 fatal shooting on Recreation Street was adjourned Friday.
A competency hearing in 40th District Court for a St. Clair Shores man accused of murder was adjourned Friday. The defense attorney for Viktor Shaholli requested the adjournment and an evidentiary hearing to review the findings of a competency exam at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Ypsilanti. “The doctor who did the evaluation made several significant factual errors,” said Timothy Barkovic, defense attorney, about his request. In the report, Barkovic said the doctor stated that Shaholli had his wife visit him at the Macomb County Jail—but she has been dead for about two years. "He is seriously, mentally ill," Barkovic added. Judge Mark Fratarcangeli agreed to the request by Barkovic and set a hearing date for Feb. 27. Shaholli, 62, …
Mike
6:46 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
Yeah, it's outright scary anymore. You see it just about every night on the news, young men with ak-47s sticking up liquor stores and shooting up houses. Their faces are caught on surveillance cameras but I never hear of anyone turning them in. more ›