Aaron Samir Akel charged with first-degree murder in cellmate's death at Macomb County jail

A 50-year-old inmate has been arraigned on first-degree murder charges in connection with the killing of his 73-year-old cellmate at the Macomb County Correctional Facility in New Haven, Mich., prosecutors announced.

Aaron Samir Akel was arraigned July 20 before Magistrate Genevieve L. Taylor in district court in New Baltimore, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.

Prosecutors allege that in the early morning hours of April 22, Akel strangled his cellmate, Daniel Hosmer, then stabbed him in one eye and impaled him through the other eye with a broken broomstick handle. Hosmer was discovered later that morning by another inmate. Jail staff responded and attempted life-saving measures, but Hosmer died from his injuries, according to the release.

Akel faces charges of first-degree premeditated murder, punishable by life without parole and possession of a weapon by a prisoner, a 5-year felony. Prosecutors also filed a second-offense habitual offender notice, which is an aggravating sentencing factor.

The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office described the charges as the maximum available under the law based on the evidence presented to date.

Magistrate Taylor set Akel's bond at $500,000 cash or surety.

Akel is currently incarcerated at the Ionia Correctional Facility, where he is serving an unrelated sentence. He is scheduled to appear before Judge William H. Hackel III for a probable cause conference on Aug. 10, at 2 p.m.

"No matter who the victim is or the allegations surrounding their past, no one has the right to take another person's life," said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido. "Our responsibility is to uphold the law, seek justice and ensure that those accused of violent crimes are held accountable through the judicial process."

Akel is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.