Carlos Scotland is an alleged teen killer from Detroit Michigan who has been charged with the murder of transgender woman Ashia Davis
According to police reports Ashia Davis was fatally shot at a hotel in Detroit Michigan in June 2023 with the suspect caught on surveillance cameras running from the scene. When police arrived at the scene they would find Ashia Davis with a gunshot wound to the head
Detroit police announced that Carlos Scotland, who was seventeen at the time of the murder, has been arrested and charged with first degree murder and felony firearm. No word yet whether prosecutors will seek hate crime charges
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A Highland Park teen has been charged in connection with the death of a transgender woman at a Highland Park hotel in 2023.
Carlos Lamar Scotland, 18, was arraigned Friday in Highland Park District Court on a charge of the first degree murder and felony firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of Ashia Davis, 36, also of Highland Park.
The shooting happened around 11 p.m. on June 1, 2023 at a hotel in the 16300 block of Woodward Avenue. When police arrived, they found Davis with a gunshot wound to her head.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for March 26.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Davis described Davis as “beloved” in her community. Her nickname was “Charm.” She’d recently finished nursing school and had planned to start a new job soon when she was killed.
Worthy also lamented how often the deaths of Black trans women go unnoticed, which is why a program called the Fair Michigan Justice Project was created along with the Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The program assists Michigan law enforcement officers and prosecutors in solving serious crimes against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons.
Worthy recalled a string of murders involving Black trans women near Palmer Park in Detroit, before the Fair Michigan project was created, and “no one seemed to care at all.”
“I mean no one,” she said during a press conference Friday. “Nothing was really being done. Their lives seemed to matter to no one.”
But now, officials say they’re working to change that.
Davis’s death in 2023 drew attention beyond Metro Detroit as LGBTQ+ residents marked Pride Month — she was murdered on the first day of Pridce Month — amid concerns from some activists about an increase in incidents targeting their community.
Carlos Scotland, who was 17 when the incident happened but has been charged as an adult, faces up to life in prison if convicted
Carlos Watts Jr is an alleged killer from Michigan who has been charged with the murder of Heather Kelley
According to police reports Heather Kelley was reported missing in December 2022. Heather vehicle was later found abandoned and set on fire. Kelley who was the mother of eight children remains have not been found
Now police in Michigan have charged her boyfriend Carlos Watts Jr with her murder
Carlos Watts Jr who is a convicted felon was just released from prison six months before the disappearance of Heather Kelley. The two would begin a relationship soon after his release
Carlos Watts Jr is currently in jail on other charges
Carlos Watts Jr News
Carlos Watts Jr., 38, has been charged with the murder of a Portage mother who went missing in December 2022.
Heather Kelley, 35, is a mother to eight children and was last seen in December 2022. Her car was later found abandoned. It had been set on fire, and investigators found her clothes and blood inside.
The Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office shared additional details about those charges Wednesday morning and disclosed the FBI and other federal investigators have assisted in the case.
Investigators have not recovered Kelley’s remains, but feel they have enough probable cause to charge the man she had been in a relationship with.
“It’s the evidence in total in this case,” Prosecutor Jeff Getting said about why his office decided to charge Carlos Watts Jr. in her killing.
If convicted of open murder, he faces life without parole.
Watts Jr. is currently in federal custody for an unrelated case. Court proceedings to bring him back to face these charges are pending.
Watts Jr. had been previously convicted of drug and gun charges and began his supervised release from prison in July 2022.
During the second half of 2022, Watts Jr. had a relationship with Kelley. According to court documents, the two planned to move in together and Watts Jr. tried to support her and her children while they were together.
Kelley was last seen leaving her home at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. Police said she was last heard from about an hour later when she called her children around 10:20 p.m. and said she would be home shortly.
Kelley never returned home and her truck was found abandoned near the intersection of Sprinkle and E. Michigan the next day, the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities asked the public to keep an eye out for her and indicated there was evidence she may have been the victim of a violent crime.
On Feb. 8, 2023, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office said the case transitioned to a homicide investigation.
Authorities have not shared how Kelley died.
The Sheriff’s Office also said the person of interest in the case, who has been confirmed to be Watts Jr., was in custody elsewhere on an unrelated charge.
Recently released federal court documented say the boyfriend of a missing mother of eight from Portage murdered her hours before he escaped from a halfway house.
Carlos Watts Jr. has not been charged in the disappearance of Heather Kelley, 35, but on Tuesday, the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office announced it will provide an update on the case at a Wednesday morning press conference.
Kelley’s body has not been found but investigators believe she was killed.
missing Portage mother Recently released federal court documented say the boyfriend of a missing mother of eight from Portage murdered her hours before he escaped from a halfway house. Portage Police Department / U.S. District Court – Western District of Michigan Southern division By: Marisa Oberle Posted at 9:30 PM, Jan 09, 2024 and last updated 10:16 PM, Jan 09, 2024
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Recently released federal court documented say the boyfriend of a missing mother of eight from Portage murdered her hours before he escaped from a halfway house.
Carlos Watts Jr. has not been charged in the disappearance of Heather Kelley, 35, but on Tuesday, the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office announced it will provide an update on the case at a Wednesday morning press conference.
READ MORE: Prosecutors to deliver update on missing Portage mother Heather Kelley
Kelley’s body has not been found but investigators believe she was killed.
READ MORE: Disappearance of Portage mother of 8 now considered a homicide case
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In a memorandum filed on Monday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, which charged Watts with felony escape last year, rejected claims made by him in recently written letters to the court that said he ran away from the Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program, a halfway house, during his parole because of threats from Kelley’s brother, who is referred as “TK” in the document.
Federal prosecutors argued Watts did so to escape prosecution.
“Hours before his escape, defendant was involved in the murder and disappearance of TK’s sister,” wrote prosecutors. “Defendant’s escape from KPEP was not done to avoid a harm from TK, but to avoid the ensuing police investigation. Defendant was escaping criminal liability for murder.”
They added, “Defendant had alternative legal options other than escape if he did feel threatened by TK.”
Watts is scheduled to be sentenced in the case on Friday.
Other documents filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office allege his ankle monitor went offline for eight hours the night Kelley vanished. Analysts also reportedly found Watts’ DNA on clothing by Kelley’s vehicle, which KCSO found abandoned and burned out a day after she was reported missing.
Michael Jackson-Bolanos is a man from Detroit Michigan who has been charged in the murder of Samantha Woll
According to court documents Michael Jackson-Bolanos would allegedly break into the of Samantha Woll who would be stabbed to death on October 21 2023. Police believe it was a random attack and that Michael Jackson-Bolanos and Samantha Woll were strangers to each other
Samantha Woll was a popular synagogue leader in Detroit
Michael Jackson-Bolanos has been charged with felony murder, home invasion and burglary
Detroit police had arrested another suspect in the Samantha Woll murder however he was released with no charges pending
Michael Jackson-Bolanos Videos
Michael Jackson-Bolanos News
A suspect has been charged in the killing of Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced Wednesday.
Michael Jackson-Bolanos, 28, of Detroit, was charged with felony murder during a first-degree home invasion and is believed to have acted alone in the Oct. 21 slaying.
Worthy said the suspect did not know Woll. He allegedly entered her Lafayette Park home and stabbed her to death multiple times using a “straight edge cutting instrument,” Worthy said. That same day, he also allegedly lied to detectives about stealing and attempting to steal from cars from the area of Woll’s home.
Michael Jackson-Bolanos has retained an attorney, who maintained his client’s innocence following a Wednesday arraignment hearing — noting that police had previously fingered a different suspect in the killing.
“It’s pretty significant that they originally arrested an individual prior to arresting my client, I’m going to be looking at the circumstances around that,” said attorney Brian Brown. “Truthfully, I think it was a lot of publicity this case was receiving, a lot of pressure on the Detroit Police Department to hopefully come up with somebody and my client maintains his innocence — and I think he was just a victim of circumstance and not an individual who perpetrated this crime.”
Woll’s family expressed gratitude after charges were announced Wednesday.
“Our family is sincerely grateful to the hard-working women and men of the DPD Homicide Task Force who worked around the clock for weeks to thoroughly investigate this tragic crime,” the family said through its lawyer, Brian Legghio.
“Through their dedication and tireless efforts we firmly believe that they have successfully solved this senseless crime. We cannot thank them enough.”
Woll’s family also thanked “everyone” for their support and prayers before asking for privacy: “Samantha’s death is an unspeakable tragedy that has affected not only her family and friends, but also those who knew her as a devoted, community activist, leader and bridge builder. She was loved deeply and her light spread far and wide.”
Woll was discovered dead outside of a neighbor’s apartment in the 1360 block of Joliet Place, surrounded by a pool of blood. A trail of blood led detectives to Woll’s home.
Despite previous statements from Detroit police that there were no signs of forced entry, Worthy said Wednesday that the front door to Woll’s home “was ajar and unlocked, and a significant amount of blood was inside.”
Michael Jackson-Bolanos was also charged with home invasion and for lying to police officers.
He previously spent two years on probation after being convicted of receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle in 2019, and four years in prison for a similar offense in 2013, according to the Michigan of Department of Corrections.
Brown, the attorney, said Jackson-Bolanos was employed full-time prior to his arrest.
Worthy described Woll’s death as “extraordinarily sad and tragic,” one that has left Detroiters and local faith communities bewildered in the weeks since.
Detroit Police Chief James White said Jackson-Bolanos had appeared on Detroit police’s radar within the last three weeks.
Michael Jackson-Bolanos was identified for suspected criminal activity in the area; police were curious about his actions, White said. Police linked him to a few larcenies and brought him in for questioning, White said.
“What had transpired during questioning was concerning,” White said.
Without more evidence, Michael Jackson-Bolanos was released but then monitored.
“We knew where he was, we knew his whereabouts, we knew his movements, at no time was anyone in our community at risk,” White said. “We knew where he worked, we knew his phone traffic.”
Detroit police had confirmed Tuesday that charges were requested against the suspect, who was apprehended as a “person of interest” on Sunday.
Earlier Tuesday, Detroit police were on and around East Lafayette Street — near where Woll lived — searching for evidence, Detroit police confirmed, though they would not say whether the search was tied to the Woll case.
“We’re not going to rush this, we’re not going to make mistakes. We were methodical and tenacious in our investigation,” White said Wednesday.
An initial suspect — different from the one taken into custody Sunday — was previously apprehended last month, but charges against him never materialized and he was released. Authorities no longer consider him a suspect.
“This takes time, and for our part we never want to rush to judgment,” Worthy said.
“We have to investigate every avenue even though we may think that we have the right person in custody — we know that we do today — we have to investigate any and all suspects or persons of interest that may come forward,” Worthy continued. “We don’t want to leave any stone unturned. And that means we may have to look at other people, even if it’s believed at the time that they’re not the right one for this case.”
Woll had attended a wedding the night before her death. The killing made national headlines and sent shock waves throughout Jewish and interfaith communities in metro Detroit. She was the president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue and founded the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Detroit.
She was also well known among Michigan Democratic leadership, having worked for U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, and on the reelection campaign of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Those who knew Woll described her as a leader whose kindness and dedication to justice were among some of her best qualities.
Some had speculated that Woll’s death was motivated by antisemitism amid ongoing fears within Arab, Muslim, and Jewish communities in the United States as war rages abroad between Israel and Hamas. White has maintained he is confident, based on the evidence so far, that the killing was not motivated by a hate crime.
Worthy reiterated Wednesday that the killing was not motivated by antisemitism.
“There’s not a shred of evidence that points to the fact that this was a hate crime,” Worthy said.
Tye Braxton Stiger is a man from Michigan who was facing a host of sex crimes when he fled the country and headed to the Philippines. Finally after some time Tye Braxton Stiger would be extradited from the Philippines and sent back to the USA to face a number of serious charges. According to police reports when Tye Braxton Stiger was a Sunday School teacher he would take advantage of a child over a six year period. On top of those charges Tye Braxton Stiger is also facing a number of child pornography charges. Tye Braxton Stiger has been charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.
Tye Braxton Stiger More News
A Jonesville man who fled to the Philippines to avoid prosecution on dozens of child sex abuse charges last summer is back in custody in Michigan after being extradited back to the United States.
Tye Braxton Stiger, 36, made his initial appearance in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan in Grand Rapids on Tuesday, Feb. 14, after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges of two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.
“These sexual exploitation and child pornography allegations are extremely disturbing and serious,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “My office is committed to protecting our youngest and most vulnerable citizens – our children.”
The Hillsdale County Prosecutor’s Office referred the matters to the U.S. Attorney’s Office last summer after issuing a 34-count warrant for his arrest with several accusations stemming from Stiger’s volunteer work at local churches where he allegedly sexually assaulted several minors.
“Given the nature and severity of the offenses Tye Braxton Stiger is accused of, we believe it would be in the best interests of the community and the best use of our resources for the child sexually abusive material charges to be handled by the United States Attorney’s Office at this time,” Chief Assistant Prosecutor Jamie Wisniewski said.
Local charges are still pending but will be amended, Wisniewski added.
Wisniewski issued a press release July 19, 2022, seeking information leading to Stiger’s arrest after a lengthy investigation culminated in an arrest warrant being issued.
Tye Braxton Stiger was then arrested in early August by the Bureau of Immigration in Diego Cera Avenue, Las Pinas City near the Philippine capital of Manila. Filippino authorities worked in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals.
Stiger — a former church volunteer linked to at least two local churches over the past decade — came under investigation of the Michigan State Police in February 2022 when a former victim of his came forward.
The victim alleged that Stiger sexually abused her as a child between 2009 and 2015 while Stiger acted as a Sunday school teacher.
The incidents occurred at several homes where he resided and during a church camping trip.
As a result of the police investigation, a search warrant was executed at Stiger’s home on Feb. 23, 2022, where a number of devices were seized from the home including cell phones and computers.
An analysis of the devices by the MSP Crime Lab determined the devices contained images and video of suspected child sexually abusive material.
There were over a dozen videos of Stiger placing a hidden camera at various locations to secretly record minor children changing and many of the children in the videos remain unidentified.
The prosecutor’s office charged Stiger with one count of child sexually abusive activity, 10 counts of possession of child sexually abusive material, four counts of a video depicting child sexually abusive material, 15 counts of using a computer to commit a felony, three counts of eavesdropping and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The prosecutor’s office said that Stiger was known to volunteer with the Hillsdale Assembly of God and Hillsdale United Brethren Church communities.
U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced that Tye Braxton Stiger, age 35, of Jonesville, made his initial appearance in the Western District of Michigan on February 14, 2023. A federal grand jury previously returned an indictment charging him with two counts of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) and (e); and one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252A(a)(5)(B), (b)(2) and 2256(8)(A). After indictment, law enforcement found and arrested Stiger in the Philippines, then extradited him to the United States for federal prosecution.
“These sexual exploitation and child pornography allegations are extremely disturbing and serious,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “My office is committed to protecting our youngest and most vulnerable citizens – our children.”
This matter was referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office by the Hillsdale County Prosecutor. There is also a related, outstanding 34-count warrant out of Hillsdale County against Stiger charging second degree criminal sexual conduct, aggravated sexually abusive activity, aggravated possession of sexually abusive material, using a computer to commit a crime, and installing/using an eavesdropping device.
Jamie Wisniewski, a Hillsdale County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, advised, “Given the nature and severity of the offenses Mr. Stiger is accused of, we believe it would be in the best interests of the community and the best use of our resources for the child sexually abusive material charges to be handled by the United States Attorney’s Office at this time.”
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Former NCAA basketball star and former NBA player Keith Appling has plead guilty to second degree murder in Michigan. Keith Appling who played for the Orlando Magic in 2016 has plead guilty to the murder of 66-year-old Clyde Edmond to whom he was related. Clyde Edmond was found in his front yard in Detroit Michigan with several gunshot wounds. Keith Appling would be driven away from the scene by Natalie Bannister, who plead guilty earlier and was sentenced to probation for lying to an officer. Keith Appling plea deal includes a sentencing guideline of 18 to 40 years in the Michigan Department Of Corrections, sentencing will take place in March 2023.
Keith Appling More News
Former NBA player Keith Appling pleaded guilty to second degree murder and a firearm charge on Monday in relation to a fatal shooting in 2021 in Detroit.
Appling, who played for the Orlando Magic in 2016, pled guilty in a Michigan court to one count each of second-degree murder and weapons felony firearm possession.
The plea deal was announced just as his trial was set to begin on Monday.
The 31-year-old Appling had been charged in 2021 for the murder of 66-year-old Clyde Edmonds, to whom Appling was related.
According to prosecutors, Appling’s plea agreement calls for a sentence of 18 to 40 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections and two years consecutive sentencing for the felony firearm possession.
He will be sentenced by a Michigan judge on March 3rd.
“It has been clear that this man has been spiraling downward for some time. Many of those that tried to intervene with this defendant were hoping that he would get on the right track and stay there,” said County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in 2021. “It is always tragic when one with so much promise, talent and possibility is alleged to have committed the most serious of crimes.”
On May 22, 2021, police officers were called to a house in Detroit because of a reported shooting where they found the victim on the front lawn with multiple gunshot wounds. Edmonds was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Prosecutors say that Appling had an argument with Edmonds over a handgun, after which Appling shot Edmonds multiple times before fleeing the scene.
It was alleged that Appling’s girlfriend Natalie Bannister drove Appling away from the crime and failed to tell the truth to officers investigating the case. In 2022, Bannister pled guilty to lying to a peace officer and was sentenced to 18 months’ probation.
Appling had a productive few years with the Michigan State Spartans, finishing among the college’s career leaders in starts, games played, free throws made, three-pointers attempted and points.
As well as playing for the Magic, he featured in the NBA’s developmental league, the G League, as well as playing for professional teams in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
CNN has reached out to Appling’s lawyers for comment.
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