Detroit Man To Stand Trial In 4 East Side Murder Cases

DETROIT, MI — A Detroit man that Wayne County prosecutors believe is responsible for murdering four women on the city's east side will stand trial.

Deangelo Kenneth Martin, 34, was bound over to Wayne County Circuit Court Thursday following a preliminary examination hearing covering four murder cases he is accused in, according to prosecutors. Martin is scheduled to be arraigned in Wayne County Circuit Court on Aug. 20 before Circuit Court Judge Regina Thomas.

"We are confident that this defendant’s alleged criminal and predatory actions link him to all four of these homicides, as well as the two sexual assault cases that we charged him with previously," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. "The details will be presented in court, and we will continue to pursue any and all evidence that may connect him to further crimes."

Worthy said she issued felony murder charges against Martin in 2019 in connection with four murders of women that took place on Detroit's east side. A breakdown of each case is below:

Annetta Nelson, 57, of Detroit

On Feb. 26, 2018, a 43-year-old went into a vacant house in the 11620 block of Winthrop and found the body of the woman lying face down on the floor with blood on her face, prosecutors said. The man carried the victim outside and flagged down a police officer, prosecutors said. The police found a used condom inside the home, according to prosecutors.

The victim was later identified as 57-year-old Annetta Nelson, of Detroit, prosecutors said. Her death was determined to be a homicide by blunt force trauma.

Martin was charged with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder in the case, prosecutors said.

Nancy Harrison, 52, of Detroit

On March 19, 2019, Detroit police officers responded to a call for a dead person found inside a vacant house in the 20070 block of Coventry, prosecutors said. The body was discovered by a Detroit man who went into the house to smoke marijuana, according to prosecutors.

The officers found a dead woman face down inside the house, with a used condom found near the body, prosecutors said. The woman was later identified as 52-year-old Nancy Harrison of Detroit, prosecutors said. Her death was later ruled as a homicide caused by blunt force trauma, prosecutors said.

Martin was later charged with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder in the case, prosecutors said.

Trevesene Ellis, 55, of Detroit

On March 24, 2019, Detroit police found a dead woman face down inside a vacant house in the 13700 block of Linnhurst, with a used condom found near her body, prosecutors said. Paramedics pronounced the woman, who prosecutors said was later identified as 55-year-old Tevesene Willis of Detroit, dead at the scene.

Willis' cause of death was undetermined due to advanced decomposition, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said they charged Martin with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder in the case.

Tamara Jones, 55, of Detroit

Two Detroit police officers were flagged down by a 59-year-old Detroit man who said he found the decomposed body of a woman inside a vacant house in the 3690 block of Mack Avenue on June 5, 2019.

The officer found the woman, later identified as Tamara Jones, 55, of Detroit, face down inside the house with a used condom near the body, prosecutors said. Her cause of death was undetermined due to the advanced state of decomposition, prosecutors said.

Martin was charged by prosecutors with first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder in the case, prosecutors said.