A 25-year-old Detroit man, Kevin Maurice Farries Jr., has been charged with a series of grave offenses following a carjacking incident that led to the death of a 60-year-old man. The charges against Farries include felony murder, first-degree murder, and carjacking. ClickOnDetroit reports that Farries was denied bond and could face life in prison if convicted.
On Tuesday morning, Keith Graus was assaulted and killed during an alleged carjacking at a gas station on the west side of Detroit. According to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, as detailed by CBS Detroit, Graus had entered the Sunoco gas station and upon returning to his Jeep Compass, found Farries inside. Following a physical confrontation, Farries is accused of running Graus over with the vehicle several times, resulting in his death at the scene.
Michigan State Police later located Farries at another gas station in Dearborn. They attempted to arrest him, but he fled, leading to a pursuit that ended with a crash and his capture. "Great work by troopers and Dearborn Police officers to take this suspect into custody," F/LT. Mike Shaw was quoted in a post on WXYZ. "Fortunately, no one was hurt in this pursuit. The suspect was turned over to Detroit Police for their investigation. We will also seek charges against the suspect for the pursuit and damage to patrol cars."
The case has garnered attention due both to the brutal nature of the crime and the seeming randomness of the attack. "This was a deliberate attempt," declared Detroit Police Captain Marcus Thirlkill when discussing the case with WXYZ, noting the randomness of the incident. The magistrate who denied bond, William T. Burton Jr., described the facts of the case as "very, very egregious" during Farries' video arraignment hearing. Farries, who has entered a not guilty plea through the court, is now scheduled for a probable cause conference on February 20, with a preliminary exam set for February 26, as reported by CBS Detroit.
