Westland man accused of fatally shooting his 18-year-old girlfriend
A Westland, Michigan, man faces a first-degree murder charge over the fatal shooting of his girlfriend on Sunday in Westland, Michigan.
Daniel Jarrett Dean, 20, was arraigned by video on Tuesday afternoon in the 18th District Court on one count each of premeditated first-degree murder and felony firearm, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said.
The victim, Monica Rokita, 18, also of Westland, was living with him at the time, the prosecutor's office said.
"This was overkill. Words cannot even begin to adequately express the utter gruesomeness of this crime. The defendant that we are alleging was responsible for this domestic violence carnage will be aggressively prosecuted and brought to justice," Prosecutor Kym Worthy said about the case.
About 6 p.m. Sunday, Westland police officers were called to an apartment in the 36000 block of Hunter Avenue on a report of a shooting. Police said they spoke to witnesses when they arrived, who directed them to where the shots were fired.
Officers found Rokita in the kitchen/living area of the apartment with multiple gunshot wounds. Medics from the Westland Fire Department arrived on scene and pronounced her dead. The prosecutor's office alleges that Dean fired a rifle multiple times, fatally wounding the woman, before fleeing the scene.
Westland police arrested the suspect in the area shortly afterward.
Bond was set at $1 million during Tuesday's hearing, the prosecutor's office said. A probable cause conference is scheduled for Sept. 17, and the preliminary exam is set for Sept. 24.
Domestic Violence Resources: For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.
