The first of three men charged in connection with the killing of an Oakland County sheriff’s deputy in 2024 will spend between five and 20 years in prison after his sentencing in a Detroit courtroom Friday.
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Charise Anderson ordered Karim Moore, 19, to spend at least five years in prison after he pleaded guilty in March to conducting a criminal enterprise, receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle, and felony firearm in connection with Deputy Brad Reckling’s death.
Recking, 30, was killed June 22, 2024 while he and other members of a cross-jurisdictional task force investigated a Chevrolet Equinox stolen from an Oakland County waterpark. Reckling allegedly was shot three times while tailing the car in Detroit, working undercover.
The Wayne County prosecutor’s office charged three people, including Moore, in connection with Reckling’s death. Anderson sentenced Moore to two years for the felony firearm count and between three and 20 years for the criminal enterprise count. Those two sentences will run consecutively, which brings the minimum time Moore will spend in prison to five years. Anderson sentenced Moore to one to five years for the stolen motor vehicle charge.
Prosecutor Matthew Penney said in court he hoped Friday’s sentencing would be the first step in allowing Reckling’s family to “turn the page” in their lives after his killing. He acknowledged they still have a long road ahead of them, with the cases of two other people charged in connection with Reckling’s death still yet to reach resolutions.
“This is just the first step in a much longer process that this poor family has been enduring for the last 11 months,” Penney said.
More than a dozen supporters of Reckling sat on one side of the courtroom, including his widow, Jacqueline. The couple had three small children and a fourth on the way when Reckling died.
Wearing a white dress shirt, bow tie, sneakers and ankle monitor, Moore did not make a statement to the court. He appeared with his defense attorney, Adam Clements, who characterized Moore as someone who has accepted accountability for what he did and has been cooperative in showing up to court. He has not posed an ongoing danger to his community and even found a job, Clements told the court.
“This young man will have an opportunity, when he gets out, to try to turn his life around.”
Clements had requested Moore be sentenced under a law targeted at young defendants that would have made him eligible for release after three years.
“He’s accepted accountability for his actions. He was wrong, and he embraced that,” Clements told The News in an interview after the sentencing.
Reckling’s family did not speak at the sentencing or to reporters afterward.
A separate case against Moore accusing him of resisting arrest has been dismissed.
Deputies escorted him out of the courtroom to begin his sentence. He was not handcuffed.
Ramon DeBose, 18, of Clinton Township is accused of killing Reckling. Marquis Goins, 18, of Detroit, also faces charges as an accessory. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said DeBose drove the SUV, and Goins and Moore rode as passengers at the time of the shooting.
Judge Shawn Jacque in Detroit’s 36th District Court ordered DeBose in March to stand trial. DeBose faces life in prison if convicted.
From L to R, Defendant Karim Moore, 19, one of the defendants charged in connection with the shooting death of Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputy Brad Reckling, and his attorney Adam Clements listen to Honorable Charise L. Anderson during sentencing hearing at the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center on May 2, 2025, in Detorit, MI. (Clarence Tabb Jr./The Detroit News/TNS)
A search warrant affidavit for the West Bloomfield home where three siblings died in a fire in February revealed that the first 911 call came from the family’s 16-year-old daughter, who told authorities, “there’s no way for us to get out.”
The affidavit sheds new light on the Feb. 2 fire that killed Hannah, Jeremiah, and Jacob Oliora, ages 16, 14, and 12, and why the siblings, one of whom had nonverbal autism, weren’t able to escape.
The investigation into the fire, meanwhile, is ongoing, according to West Bloomfield police. The West Bloomfield police and fire departments have denied Freedom of Information acts requests related to the fire and its investigation.
Police executed a search warrant at the Oliora home on Feb. 4. No findings have been submitted to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, according to Police Chief Dale Young.
According to the affidavit, Hannah told 911 dispatchers that the fire started in the living room. Authorities haven’t revealed what caused the blaze.
After the fire, police interviewed the parents, Don and Liz Oliora, the next day and learned that Jeremiah had been diagnosed with nonverbal autism. He’d previously attempted to climb out of a second-story window of the home on Pembury Lane and left the home unsupervised through the front door. He was found in their neighborhood by a passerby, according to the documents.
To prevent similar incidents from happening again, the parents told police they installed window locks and an interior front door lock. The key to unlock the front door was kept in a lockbox inside, near the home’s garage. Only the parents and their oldest daughter had access to the lockbox, according to court documents.
Hannah’s initial 911 call came in around 8:05 p.m. on Feb. 2. Her father had left the home around 2:40 p.m. to work for DoorDash, and her mother left at the same time for work as a nurse, according to the documents.
At 7:10 p.m., Hannah called her father to ask about the family’s dinner plans. She told her father that she would start cooking hamburgers for her and her brothers, and her dad said he would come home after completing a few more DoorDash stops.
Liz was working when she was told about the fire by a neighbor and the police. She told police that her three children were inside and that she was on her way home, and called her husband to alert him at 8:27 p.m.
When police arrived on the scene of the fire and learned about the children trapped inside the home, they attempted to extinguish the flames in the back of the house but couldn’t.
Firefighters then arrived and were able to enter the home and extract the kids. One was found right behind the front door, while another was in an upstairs bathroom, according to the documents.
Hannah and Jeremiah were taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital, while Jacob was taken to Henry Ford Hospital in West Bloomfield, but all three succumbed to their injuries.
An autopsy by the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed that Jacob’s preliminary cause of death was accidental and due to smoke and soot inhalation, according to the court documents. Autopsies for his brother and sister had not been conducted when the search warrant affidavit was filed.
When firefighters entered the home, they could hear the ignitor of the gas stove clicking, according to the documents.
hmackay@detroitnews.com
House shrouded by fog where three children died in a fire on the 5500 block of Pembury in West Bloomfield, Michigan on February 3, 2025. (Daniel Mears, The Detroit News/The Detroit News/TNS)
A 17-year-old Mount Clemens juvenile who allegedly broke into a house and threw an explosive device because a girl living there spurned his advances was arraigned Thursday on four felony charges.
Jonathan Brady is being held in the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center in Mount Clemens on a $500,000 bond set by 41B District Court Magistrate Ryan Zemke.
During the arraignment proceedings, Assistant Prosecutor Maria Panchenko said the defendant confessed to committing the crimes.
“The victims in this matter are now homeless and the home that was destroyed by the explosive mortar device is no longer inhabitable,” Panchenko said. “He knew that at least two infants under the age of 1 were present, and there were people in total in the home at the time.”
Brady was arraigned on charges of:
First-degree home invasion
Second degree arson
Explosives – placing near property causing property damage
Explosives – possession of bombs with unlawful intent – causing property damage
Each of the four counts carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Brady has two prior adjudications in juvenile court and has a “history of not complying” with authorities when placed on bond or probation in the past, she added. She expressed concern that Brady may threaten the safety of the girlfriend and her family should he be released.
Public defender Dana Freers said Brady, who turns 18 on May 1, last got into trouble three years ago. He was living with a family friend at the time of fire according to Freers.
The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office said someone broke into the victim’s rental home on Eldredge Street about 3 a.m. April 10 and threw an explosive device — believed to be an M80 — which ignited a fire that consumed the entire house.
Mount Clemens firefighters were able to contain the blaze, but the damage was extensive, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Fire Investigation Unit was called to the scene to investigate as well.
The family that lived in this burned-out house on Eldredge Street in Mount Clemens is asking for the public’s assistance in getting back on their feet. (PROVIDED PHOTO)
No injuries among the seven occupants were reported.
Brady was arrested later that day.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said he decided to charge Brady as an adult due to the circumstances of the case.
“I did not reach the decision to charge Mr. Brady as an adult lightly. The gravity of this crime plus the need to seek justice for the victims and protect the public required this solemn action,” he said in a statement.
Lucido said that while serving in the Michigan Senate, he authored legislation that ended the prosecutorial practice of automatically charging 17 year-olds as adults to provide more discretion and fairness in the justice system. The legislation was signed into law.
“Mr. Brady is accused of committing extremely serious crimes that endangered the lives of seven people and caused a family to lose their home. I am especially outraged that the lives of multiple infants were put at risk,” Lucido said.
During the court proceedings today, the magistrate ordered Brady not to have contact with any of the victims. If he posts bond, Brady must wear a GPS tether, and he is prohibited from using drugs and alcohol. In addition, he cannot be in possession of a firearm, ammunition or any other weapons.
Unless he posts bond, Brady will remain in custody at the Macomb Juvenile Justice Center (JJC) until at least May 1, 2025, when he turns age 18. After that date, the JJC will have the discretion to continue to incarcerate Brady or transfer him to the Macomb County Jail.
Brady will have his probable cause conference and preliminary examination hearing within 21 days before 41-B District Court Judge Sabastian Lucido.
Delvon Lee, who was renting the house with Michelle Lee, have started a GoFundMe campaign to raise a goal amount of $10,000 for essential items, because they literally have nothing left. Flames and smoke badly damaged the interior and all of the family’s belongings.
A former employee of Marshall Mathers — aka entertainer Eminem — is named in a federal criminal complaint for allegedly stealing and selling some of his unreleased music.
Joseph Strange, 46, of Holly is charged with two counts of criminal infringement of a copyright and interstate transportation of stolen goods.
According to the criminal complaint, filed in U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Michigan, the FBI launched an investigation in January after employees of Mathers’ music studio in Ferndale reported finding a list of Mathers’ unreleased music — still in development — available for puchase on the Internet. The list was reportedly taken directly from a hard drive in Mathers’ Ferndale studio.
FBI tracked down multiple people who had bought the unreleased music who identified Strange as the seller, the complaint states. Strange reportedly worked for Mathers from approximately 2007 through 2021.
“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding artists’ intellectual property from exploitation by individuals seeking to profit illegally,” Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan, stated in a news release. “Thanks to the cooperation of Mathers Music Studio, FBI agents from the Oakland County Resident Agency were able to swiftly enforce federal laws and ensure Joseph Strange was held accountable for his actions.”
If convicted of the copyright infringement charge, Strange could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The interstate transportation of stolen goods charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison/
“Protecting intellectual property from thieves is critical in safeguarding the exclusive rights of creators and protecting their original work from reproduction and distribution by individuals who seek to profit from the creative output of others,” Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck stated in the release.
The case is being investigated by special agents of the FBI Oakland County Resident Agency, and prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorneys Timothy Wyse and Alyse Wu.
A 47-year-old Clarkston man is facing charges for allegedly having “tens of thousands” of child pornography images — including some involving animals, officials said.
The complaint against Benjamin Guy Weeks, issued March 18 in 52-2 District Court, lists charges of three counts each of aggravated child sexually abusive activity and using a computer to commit a crime.
According to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement confiscated approximately 35 hard drives, multiple thumb drives, CDs and computer devices from Weeks’ home containing tens of thousands of files showing child sexual abuse, including bestiality.
It’s believed Weeks was attempting to create a computer server to manage and share the files, the prosecutor’s office said.
“The scale of depravity uncovered in this case is shocking,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. “Behind every one of these images and videos is a child who was the victim of unspeakable abuse. I’m committed to aggressively prosecuting child pornography cases so we can protect the next child from becoming a victim.”
The court file shows the alleged crimes dating back to 2023. Jeff Wattrick, spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, told The Oakland Press that the casa wasn’t turned over to the Oakland County prosecutor until this month and that the prosecutor’s office “moved quickly to file charges and authorize an arrest.”
Aggravated child sexually abusive activity is punishable by up to 25 years in prison and/or a $125,000 fine. Using a computer to commit a crime carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine, possibly as a consecutive sentence, the prosecutor’s office said.
A Lake Orion was handed a lengthy prison sentence Tuesday for a fatal hit-and-run last year in Auburn Hills.
At a hearing in Oakland County Circuit Court, Judge Yasmine Poles sentenced 35-year-old Kenneth Briddnell Carroll to 25-60 years for the June 6, 2024 crash that killed Thomas Jerome Fisher, 68. The collision happened on Walton Boulevard near Perry Street in Auburn Hills, and also caused critical injuries to Carroll’s passenger.
According to police, Carroll fled after crashing a Kia Forte into a Ford F-150 pickup truck, trapping Fisher in the Ford F-150. Fisher was subsequently extricated and transported to an area hospital where he died, police said.
Auburn Hills Police Dept.
Kenneth Carroll
Moments before the crash, an Auburn Hills patrol officer had pursued the Kia after witnessing it speeding south on Lapeer Road and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver — later identified as Carroll — accelerated and fled, reportedly reaching speeds up to 88 mph. The officer reportedly chased the Kia for approximately a quarter mile before ending the pursuit. Further down the roadway, the officer discovered the collision, police said.
Carroll was arrested after a citizen reported seeing him in a wooded area approximately a half-mile from the crash site, police said. When he was arrested, Carroll was in possession of a controlled substance, police said.
In January, Carroll pleaded no contest to reckless driving causing death, reckless driving causing serious impairment of bodily function, fleeing and eluding, failing to stop after the crash, driving without a valid license and narcotics possession. For the drug charge, he was sentenced to the 284 days he already served in the Oakland County Jail. The jail credit was also applied to his sentence on the other charges.
A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. It can also offer some liability protection in civil cases.
Carroll got an enhanced sentence due to him being a habitual offender. His criminal history includes convictions for aggravated domestic violence and probation violation.
Fisher’s obituary states he was the father of two, an accomplished musician and “a successful and premier interior painter” with his own business. He grew up in Birmingham.
Two Ypsilanti men were arrested over the weekend for trying to steal a vehicle after leading Southfield police on car chases, officials said.
Both have been charged, Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said Monday.
Tyree Pitts, 21, and James Harris, 18, both of Ypsilanti, were arraigned Friday in 46th District Court, the police chief and court records said.
Tyree Pitts (Photo courtesy of Southfield Police Department)James Harris (Photo courtesy of Southfield Police Department)
Barren announced their arrests and charges against them at a midday news conference Monday at police headquarters. He was joined by Southfield Deputy Police Chief Aaron Huguley, Southfield Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Jagielski, and Southfield Police Lt. Mostapha Bzeih.
Pitts is charged with third-degree fleeing and eluding police, a 5-year felony, unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle, a 5-year felony, and receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, also a 5-year felony.
A judge set his bond at $50,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for March 28.
Court records did not list an attorney for Pitts on Monday.
Barren said Pitts has prior convictions for assault with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, receiving and concealing stolen motor vehicles, felony assault, and malicious destruction of property.
Harris is charged with unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle and receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, Barren said.
A judge set his bond at $1,500 and scheduled his next court hearing for March 28.
Court records did not list an attorney for Harris on Monday.
Barren said Harris does not have a documented criminal history.
Two other people were arrested in connection with the attempted theft, police said.
One, an 18-year-old Atlanta, Ga., man, was given a ticket for giving police officers a false name when questioned, they said.
The other, a 17-year-old Detroit resident, was processed and turned over to his parents, the chief said. The 17-year-old will be prosecuted in Wayne County Juvenile Court. Barren explained juveniles accused of crimes in Michigan are prosecuted in the counties of their residence not where the crimes allegedly happened.
He also said police continue to investigate and determine if any others may be charged in connection with the crime.
Authorities said the incident happened at about last Thursday in the 27000 block of Berkshire Drive near West Eleven Mile and Evergreen roads.
Barren said dispatchers received a 911 call at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday from the car’s owner. She reported her home’s security camera alerted her to a man trying to get inside her parked 2017 Dodge Charger, Barren said.
After checking the video, she told police she saw multiple suspects near her car and gave a description of them.
Officers arrived within minutes and saw a suspect run to get into a white 2015 Mazda sedan, according to the Southfield police chief. They then saw the Mazda and a green Ford Fusion that had been reported stolen earlier in the day in Southfield traveling one behind the other through the neighborhood.
“Based on the officers’ observations, it was apparent that both vehicles were involved and acting in concert with one another,” Barren said. “Both vehicles were observed leaving the subdivision at the same time. Both vehicles turned in unison onto northbound Evergreen Road.”
The chief said the Ford was in front with the Mazda behind it. Officers followed the vehicles as they reached Villa Pointe Condominiums where they drove off in separate directions, he said.
Officers following the Ford shone their vehicle’s spotlight on the car and saw multiple occupants inside wearing masks.
“The Ford Fusion immediately accelerated away from officers,” Barren said. “As the driver fled, he drove over grass, and rocks, and the vehicle became disabled. The occupants got out and ran.”
Simultaneously, officers were pursuing the Mazda. Barren said the car turned onto northbound Evergreen Road, made an abrupt turn at Kingswood Place Condominiums, and continued to flee.
Police then used a so-called PIT Maneuver — using a police car to strike a fleeing vehicle’s rear quarter panel — to disable it, officials said.
“That resulted in the vehicle spinning out and becoming disabled,” Barren said.
He said the occupants remained in the car until officers ordered them out and took them into custody. Police later identified the driver as Pitts and his front seat passenger as Harris, the chief said.
No injuries were reported, he added.
On Monday, Southfield police released the 911 call reporting the attempted car theft as well as officers’ dash cam video of one of the car chases and body camera footage of the arrest of a couple of suspects.
Car thefts have become such a growing problem for law enforcement and car owners, that the Michigan Attorney General’s Office said last month it was expanding its auto insurance fraud task force to include stolen vehicles as thefts spike in the state.
“Southeast Michigan is experiencing a crisis when it comes to individuals stealing vehicles,” Barren said. “It’s also a national crisis. It’s a multi-million dollar industry and that’s what keeps individuals committing these crimes.”
Barren said the city of Southfield is attractive for car thieves because of the three freeways — Interstate 696, the Lodge and the Southfield — that run through it. It also has a lot of hotels and apartment complexes, he added.
“It can become a target for individuals who are planning auto theft crimes because the cars are on display,” he said.
Southfield police officers and the task force have arrested 43 auto theft suspects since October 2024, the chief said. Southfield police have arrested 21 people, which resulted in 47 felony charges so far in 2025, he said.
The Southfield Police Department houses the Oakland County Auto Theft Task Force, which includes officers from Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and the Southfield, Hazel Park, Farmington Hills and Detroit police agencies.
Pitts and Harris are the latest Michigan residents to be accused of auto theft.
Last week, a Warren man was charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony, after authorities linked him to an alleged auto theft ring that targeted Cadillacs in a carmaker’s lot.
Earlier this month, three Detroit men were ordered to stand trial for allegedly being part of a ring that stole hundreds of vehicles in southeast Michigan.
Last month, two Detroit were charged for allegedly being part of an auto theft ring that targeted dealerships in Macomb, Oakland, and Genesee counties.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Mugshots and shows as Elvin Barren, Southfield's police chief, talks during a press conference on Monday about the arrests of two men from Ypsilanti after an attempted car theft. (David Guralnick, The Detroit News)
A 19-year-old Southfield man accused of leading Berkley police on a car chase Wednesday while carrying a concealed weapon has been charged.
Cameron Scott has also been banned from entering the cities of Berkley and Royal Oak by a judge, officials said.
Scott was arraigned Thursday in 44th District Court in Royal Oak, according to court records. He is charged with third-degree fleeing police, carrying a concealed weapon, and driving with a suspended license.
A judge set his bond at $11,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for next Friday, records said.
Police said the judge also prohibited Scott from entering the cities of Berkley and Royal Oak except for court purposes.
Scott was arraigned Thursday in 44th District Court in Royal Oak, according to court records. He is charged with third-degree fleeing police, carrying a concealed weapon, and driving with a suspended license.
A judge set his bond at $11,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for next Friday, records said.
Police said the judge also prohibited Scott from entering the cities of Berkley and Royal Oak except for court purposes.
Berkley police said officers on Wednesday tried to pull a white Ford Fusion over for a traffic stop near 12 Mile Road and Coolidge Highway.
They said the driver refused to stop and continued to speed south towards 11 Mile. Officers gave chase.
Authorities said shortly after the chase began, the driver tossed a firearm from the car. Police boxed in the vehicle and arrested the driver, later identified as Scott.
Berkley police also released dash camera video of the chase.
Two Venezuelan nationals, one of whom is an alleged Tren de Aragua gang member accused of multiple crimes in Colorado, are in police custody after an attempted “snatch-and-grab” theft this week from an Auburn Hills clothing store, authorities said.
The incident started at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, when an Auburn Hills police officer was at the Nordstrom Rack store at the Great Lakes Crossing Outlet mall following up on an unrelated matter, Auburn Hills Deputy Chief Scott McGraw said Friday.
“The officer saw three males running through the store grabbing handfuls of merchandise off the shelves, so he chased them,” McGraw said.
During the foot pursuit, the officer radioed for help, and Auburn Hills Police set up a perimeter around the area, the deputy police chief said.
“With help of an Oakland County Sheriff’s K-9 unit, we were able to find two of the men hiding in a subdivision across the road from the mall,” McGraw said. “We think the third man must’ve gotten away in a vehicle.
“The men were interviewed and fingerprinted, and they didn’t speak English well,” McGraw said. “None of the names they provided came back with a valid identification. Typically, when that happens, we’ll contact Border Patrol. They told us both men were in the country illegally.”
McGraw said Auburn Hills Police turned the two men over to Border Patrol agents.
Federal officials said one of the men was a gang member who was wanted for several crimes in Colorado.
“Yesterday, in Detroit, MI, (U.S. Border Patrol) agents and Auburn Hills PD responded to a shoplifting call that escalated into the takedown of a dangerous fugitive,” U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks wrote in a Thursday X post. “A Venezuelan national wanted for kidnapping and torture in Colorado and is linked to the notorious Tren de Aragua gang was taken into custody. He is now facing charges (of) … willfully refusing to depart the U.S.”
The suspect was not identified. Banks posted photos on X showing the man being arrested, although his face was blurred.
The U.S. Border Patrol Detroit Sector said in a Facebook post Wednesday that the man has a felony warrant out of Arapahoe, Colorado, for kidnapping-sex offense/robbery, aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon/intent to kill, burglary of a dwelling, extortion, felony menacing, and committing a violent crime with a weapon.
Border Patrol spokesman Youssef Fawaz said in an email: “For privacy reasons, we do not comment on ongoing cases.”
Last month, President Donald Trump formally designated Tren de Aragua, MS 13 and other gangs as “foreign terrorist organizations,” carrying out a Jan. 20 executive order.
According to a Wednesday Facebook post by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s Office of Field Operations, “the Detroit Field Office has apprehended more than 20 Tren de Aragua gang members or affiliates at ports of entry across Michigan.”
A crackdown on illegal immigration by the Trump Administration has led to a spike in cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern Court of Michigan, The Detroit News reported last week. Those arrested included a Venezuelan man living in Detroit with alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang.
Last month, Border Patrol agents at the Sault Ste. Marie Station arrested a suspected Tren De Aragua gang member during a traffic stop.
McGraw said there’s been a rash of “smash-and-grab” and “snatch-and-grab” thefts in Oakland County recently, including a 2023 incident in which four Chilean nationals who were in the U.S. with temporary visas were charged with stealing jewelry from multiple locations, including the Great Lakes Crossing mall.
“It happens more often than people know,’ McGraw said. “A lot of stores don’t bother prosecuting, or don’t call us, it happens so often. I wouldn’t say it’s an everyday occurrence, but it’s happening more and more.”
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court announced its justices have selected a new chief justice with the upcoming departure of the current incumbent.
The justices unanimously selected Megan Cavanagh to succeed Elizabeth Clement when she steps down, according to a Thursday announcement from the court. In February, Clement announced her intention to retire from the court before the end of April.
“The Court decided to make the choice now to ensure that the transition will be as smooth as possible and to confirm that our commitment to the path the Court is on will not waver,” Cavanagh said in a statement.
Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has the opportunity to appoint a justice to fill Clement’s vacancy and create a 6-1 majority of Democratic-backed justices. Whoever is appointed must run for retention in 2026 for a full eight-year term.
Michigan’s justices are technically nonpartisan, but they are nominated by state parties or appointed by the governor in the case of a vacancy. The court currently has a 5-2 majority of justices backed by Democrats after picking up a seat in the November election.
Cavanagh, backed by Democrats, narrowly beat out an incumbent justice in 2018. She is up for another term in 2026.
Clement was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2017 by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder. She is leaving to join the National Center for State Courts as president.
“I believe strongly that collaboration and cooperation are the keys to building public trust in our branch of government,” Cavanagh said.
FILE - Megan Cavanagh, a candidate for the Michigan Supreme Court, speaks during a rally in Detroit, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, FIle)
Grounding wires, or safety straps worn around a wrist to prevent static electricity inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, were found inside a “junk drawer” at a Troy medical facility where a chamber exploded, killing a boy, and could’ve saved the child’s life, according to testimony by a Troy police detective.
A transcript of Det. Danielle Trigger’s testimony to 52-4 District Court Magistrate Elizabeth Chiappelli, given March 7, sheds light on the Jan. 31 explosion at the Oxford Center. Thomas Cooper, 5, of Royal Oak was inside the hyperbaric chamber and died when it exploded.
Thomas on his 36th of 40 treatments in the hyperbaric chamber, which creates a pressurized environment of pure oxygen. His mother, standing nearby, burned her arms trying to rescue her son. Police have not revealed what the boy was being treated for.
CCTV footage of the oxygen chamber gave police insight into what preceded the tragedy: Cooper lay in the chamber wearing pajamas and holding a gray blanket. His head rested on a pillow with a patterned pillowcase, according to March 7 transcripts.
“Cooper is moving around within the chamber, moving the blanket and sheet around with him. He rolls onto his side and pulls his knee up towards his chest, which results in a visible ignition,” Trigger said. “The chamber immediately begins to burn internally and in what could only be described as a fireball, ultimately killing Thomas Cooper. At the time of the initial ignition to the time the inside of the chamber is fully engulfed in flames, killing Cooper, is approximately three seconds.”
Police found the grounding wrist straps in a “junk drawer” in the facility’s laundry room, Trigger said. She described the cords as oxidized, like they hadn’t been used or moved for an extended period. They also found a multimeter in the drawer, which is used to test grounding, Trigger said.
“The multimeter was still in the bag with the caps on both ends of the cords and the cords appeared to have never been unraveled, which was consistent with it never having been utilized to test grounding,” Trigger said.
Tamela Peterson, the Oxford Center’s owner and CEO, was arraigned Tuesday in 52-4 District Court on second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges, as was Gary Marken, the facility’s primary manager, and safety director Jeffrey Mosteller. If bound over for a trial, a jury will decide where either charge fits the defendants’ conduct.
Aleta Moffitt, the operator of the hyperbaric chamber that exploded, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and intentionally placing false information on a medical record. All four pleaded not guilty.
Second degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison, while involuntary manslaughter can result in a sentence of up to 15 years behind bars.
The Michigan Attorney General’s office, which filed the charges, has accused the Oxford Center’s CEO and employees of disregarding safety protocols and using the chamber in ways it wasn’t intended to be used. The Oxford Center has said the “safety and well-being of the children we serve is our highest priority.”
Moffitt’s lawyer Ellen K. Michaels said Thursday Moffitt was an hourly worker at the Oxford Center who was adhering to the corporate policies presented to her by the center’s decision-makers.
“Everything that has been presented to the court to this point are allegations, not facts, not evidence,” Michaels said in a Thursday statement. “We look forward to reviewing the information that will be given to the defense through the discovery process and performing our own investigation. We believe in letting this process unfold.”
No grounding wire
Investigators made copies of hyperbaric chamber maintenance and service records at the scene and learned that the chamber that exploded was from 2013, while the other two in the facility were only a few years old, Trigger said. They also found a manual showing a wrist strap that patients should use when receiving treatment in the chamber to ground them. CCTV footage showed that Cooper was not wearing one, Trigger said.
“Photos taken of the scene at the time that the incident occurred were also re-reviewed,” Trigger said. “I observed what appeared to be a grounding wire for the chamber involved in the incident was wrapped in electrical tape and was clearly in worse condition or inconsistent with the other chambers in the room.”
The other patient receiving treatment at the time of the explosion and previous patients and employees at the Oxford Center all told police that a grounding wire had never been used in their hyperbaric treatments there, Trigger said. Employees who expressed concern to Peterson, Mosteller, and Marken about this policy were told that grounding wrist straps were not necessary, she added.
Police also found that starting in 2019, the Oxford Center removed items related to checking the chamber and patient grounding from daily and weekly checklists performed on the chambers.
Representatives from Sechrist, the hyperbaric chamber’s manufacturer, were shown a photo of the chamber that exploded and the electrical tape wrapped around the grounding wire.
“Sechrist personnel advised that they would have never repaired a wire in that way,” Trigger said. “They further advised that had a wire been repaired by an outside electrician, they would have had to tag out the chamber as being unusable. They would then have had to return to the location to inspect the work in the chamber before it could be used again. That did not occur.”
Trigger also claimed that one previous Oxford Center employee told her superiors she would no longer administer hyperbaric treatments due to the lack of safety practices and was fired.
The police consulted with two industry experts with “decades of experience in hyperbaric oxygen treatments,” according to Trigger. They also asked hyperbaric facilities at multiple hospitals and a privately run facility for insight into safety protocols, she said.
“The experts were able to determine, based on their opinion, that had Cooper been wearing the grounding wrist strap, he would still be alive,” Trigger said.
Mosteller told Trigger in an interview that Peterson had advised him that grounding straps were not necessary and said he performed his own testing to “convince himself to agree with that theory,” the detective said.
“Mosteller indicated that he would occasionally check the chamber grounding, but it was not done regularly,” Trigger said. “Employees were both advised of and shown an ‘experiment,’ that Jeff Mosteller had conducted that he felt made the grounding wrist straps unnecessary in order to justify not using them.”
At her Tuesday arraignment, Peterson’s attorney Gerald Gleeson said her parents both used the facility’s hyperbaric chambers, discounting the idea that she was operating the machines with “reckless abandon.”
Keeping the chambers full
Hyperbaric chambers are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat 13 conditions, ranging from decompression sickness to severe burns. The Oxford Center advertises their use for treatment of over 90 different conditions, including Alzheimer’s Disease and diabetes.
Upon reviewing Peterson’s cellphone and laptop, police found messages in which people ask whether the company was promoting hyperbaric treatments for erectile dysfunction, Trigger said.
“Peterson responds stating, ‘Whatever gets bodies in those chambers, lol,’ ” the detective said.
Police also found messages containing still photos from CCTV footage of Cooper burning in the chamber.
“In the message exchange along with those photos, she stated something to the effect of, ‘If my leg was on fire, I would at least try to hit it and put it out. He just laid there and did nothing,'” Trigger said.
When police attempted to execute a search warrant for Peterson’s cellular devices and laptops at the Brighton facility, she initially ran from investigators, Trigger said. She also allegedly told investigators that she’d had her son wipe her laptop days after the explosion, Trigger said.
“Conversations with investigators at the attorney general’s office made Troy investigators aware that the CEO of the company, Tamela Peterson, along with her IT personnel had a history of tampering with and/or destroying evidence, specifically CCTV footage and records related to the investigation that the AG’s office had previously been conducting,” Trigger said.
Investigators observed nine inconsistencies between internally recorded time stamps for Cooper’s treatments provided by Peterson’s attorney and CCTV footage of the treatments, Trigger said.
Cooper’s records that police recovered from the facility show that on the day of the explosion he continued to receive treatment after the fire occurred and he had died.
Rolling back machines
Two previous employees told police they observed Marken manually manipulating the hyperbaric chamber’s cycle counters, which measure the lifespan of the machine, Trigger said.
“They reported that they had personally observed Marken using a screwdriver to remove the panel from the side of the chamber, remove the cycle counter, and roll back the number in order to make the cycle count look lower and to extend the life of the chamber,” the Troy detective said. “They advised that they were confident that this was likely done at the direction of Peterson due to her level of involvement in the ongoings of the company.”
Previous employees also told police that Marken was Peterson’s “muscle” and they were “one and the same,” Trigger said.
Marken’s attorney Raymond Cassar said at his arraignment that he had not been to the Oxford Center facility in Troy in over three years.
“I don’t know where the information is coming from that he is rolling back any of these things, but I can tell you that we’re confident he hasn’t been to that facility because he worked at the Brighton facility,” Cassar said Tuesday.
“They reported that they had personally observed Marken using a screwdriver to remove the panel from the side of the chamber, remove the cycle counter, and roll back the number in order to make the cycle count look lower and to extend the life of the chamber,” the Troy detective said. “They advised that they were confident that this was likely done at the direction of Peterson due to her level of involvement in the ongoings of the company.”
Previous employees also told police that Marken was Peterson’s “muscle” and they were “one and the same,” Trigger said.
Marken’s attorney Raymond Cassar said at his arraignment that he had not been to the Oxford Center facility in Troy in over three years.
“I don’t know where the information is coming from that he is rolling back any of these things, but I can tell you that we’re confident he hasn’t been to that facility because he worked at the Brighton facility,” Cassar said Tuesday.
Safety and clothing guidelines
The National Fire Protection Association’s guidelines for hyperbaric chambers indicate that there should be a safety pause before a patient enters one to check that the clothing they wear is 100% cotton and that they don’t have any lotions or medical patches on, Trigger said. CCTV footage of Cooper’s entire visit shows that this did not occur, she said.
The experts that police consulted with also advised that a physician is required on scene for hyperbaric oxygen treatments, although one was not present for Cooper’s treatment, Trigger said. Of the defendants, Mosteller is the only one with a current certification to administer the treatments and none are physicians or nurses, she added.
While on scene at the Oxford Center in Troy, the experts noted that pillows inside the chambers were filled with 100% polyester, which is not allowed inside them, partially due to fire risk, Trigger said. The disclosure forms and waivers that patients and parents signed did not mention the risks of fire or death.
hmackay@detroitnews.com
Defendant Tami Peterson stands during her arraignment Tuesday, March 11, 2025, on charges related to the death of a 5-year-old boy inside a hyperbaric chamber in Troy. (Katy Kildee, The Detroit News)
A 24-year-old Pontiac man is in police custody, accused of stabbing a woman multiple times Monday night allegedly because she had worn his clothing.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, deputies spoke to the woman at an area hospital’s emergency department where she had gone for treatment of multiple stab wounds. The woman, a 25-year-old Pontiac resident, reportedly told deputies she had been stabbed during a fight over her wearing the suspect’s clothes.
Based on further information from the woman and a witness who reportedly had driven the woman to the hospital, deputies went to a residence in the 100 block of Cherry Hill Drive in North Hills Farms housing complex to confront the suspect, the sheriff’s office said.
As stated in the deputies’ report: “Initially, the suspect refused to answer the door, but after continued announcements of law enforcement presence and a secure perimeter being set, the individual ultimately surrendered to deputies without further incident. Another male was located inside of the home and taken into custody as well for investigative follow up.”
Charges are pending for the suspect, who’s held in the Oakland County Jail.
The Pontiac woman facing felonies for allegedly abandoning her three children to live in a filth-ridden home for years has been charged with additional crimes.
As announced Tuesday by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, three counts of welfare fraud are filed against Kelli Bryant, in addition to the three charges of first-degree child abuse filed against her last month.
Bryant, 34, is accused of collecting $29,397 from January 2022 through February 2025 in support payments by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services while the children were living alone. It’s alleged Bryant abandoned the children in 2020 or 2021.
The prosecutor’s office said a review of Bryant’s MDHHS payments showed the overpayment, leading to the charges.
Prosecutor Karen McDonald said the alleged fraud indicates Bryant stole from her children.
“The defendant appears to have effectively abandoned her children while collecting their public assistance,” McDonald stated in a news release. “This crime is, first and foremost, a theft from Kelli Bryant’s children. These resources were intended to ensure they had the basic necessities denied to them. The children deserved better.”
Welfare fraud more than $500 is punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. For the first-degree child abuse charges, Bryant faces up to life in prison if convicted.
The case against Bryant unfolded in February after deputies were called to a residence on Lydia Lane in the Stonegate Pointe townhomes for a welfare check and found Bryant’s children, a 15-year-old boy and his sisters, ages 13 and 12, hiding inside. The townhome was filled with large piles of garbage, mold and human waste throughout, had an overflowing toilet and a feces-filled bathtub, officials said. It was described as “uninhabitable.”
A view from inside the townhome, showing large amounts of debris with garbage piled as high as 4 feet in some rooms, and mold and human waste found throughout (photo provided by Oakland Couny Sheriff’s Office)
When rescued, the girls were covered in feces, and all three children had matted hair and toenails several inches long making it difficult to walk, officials said.
Bryant had reportedly been arranging for food to be dropped off at the home each week, but toilet paper, soap and hygiene products were never provided, officials said. The children, who’ve since been placed with relatives, hadn’t gone to school for years.
Bryant is held in the Oakland County Jail, with bond set at $50,000 — recently reduced from the $250 million bond set at her Feb. 20 arraignment for the child abuse charges.
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