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Homicide Unit
HOMICIDE UNIT
The Homicide Unit evaluates all homicide warrant requests presented by the various police agencies that serve Wayne County. All homicide warrant requests are initially reviewed by one of the prosecutors in the Homicide Unit. Where appropriate, the request may then be forwarded to another unit for evaluation and decision. The cases handled in this unit range from vehicular homicides of all types (hit-and-run, alcohol related, road rage, etc.) through multi-victim, multi-defendant, gangland or drug-related executions. Prosecutors in the Homicide Unit are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to assist police with criminal investigations. They are regularly called upon through the workday, as well as other hours, to provide legal advice and direction, to review search warrants and other documents, and to conduct witness interviews where necessary to preserve critical testimony that might otherwise be lost. A significant number of homicide cases involve complex legal and evidentiary issues and require testimony from experts in many scientific felds.
Whenever possible, cases within this unit are prosecuted vertically, that is, the same prosecutor handles the case from the charging decision through preliminary examination, motions and trial. Since homicide is a violent crime and is generally regarded as the most serious crime in the law, these cases require more time, effort and expertise to investigate than many others. Vertical prosecutions of these cases produces better results than frequently reassigning the cases to different attorneys at different stages. The purpose of the Homicide Unit is to effectively prosecute these cases so as to deter further violent crime and thereby increase public safety within Wayne County.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Homicide Unit (313) 224-2882
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. A friend/family member of mine was killed and no one has been arrested yet. Who should I call to find out what's going on?
A. Contact the officer in charge (OIC) of the case at the police department where the crime occurred. The OIC may be able to give you some information about the status of the investigation. The Prosecutor's Office cannot provide information until an arrest warrant has been issued.
Q. A warrant has been issued in my friend/family member's death and that person has been arrested. Who should I call to find out what's going on?
A. Contact the Homicide Victim's Advocate, Ms. Mia Edgerson at (313) 967-6820 for general information about the criminal process, the next scheduled court date, or victim's rights or victim's services. If you have specific information about an on-going case, contact the prosecutor assigned to that case.
Q. How do I find out who is handling my friend/relative's case?
A. Call the main number, (313) 224-2882, for the Homicide Unit or contact the Homicide Victim's Advocate.
