A 31-year-old Van Buren Township man was denied bond Monday after being charged in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, who was found wounded in an apartment-building hallway. Damarco Darnell Manns is accused of shooting 28-year-old Frances Beatty after an argument between the two, who lived together, according to WDIV ClickOnDetroit.
According to ClickOnDetroit, the shooting happened just after 9 p.m. on September 17 in the 48500 block of the I-94 service drive. Officers arriving at the scene found Beatty in the hallway of the apartment building, and she was taken to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Argument Preceded the Shooting, Prosecutor Says
Per the same report, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said Manns and Beatty were arguing, which allegedly resulted in Manns shooting and killing her. The account does not detail what the argument was about beyond that description from prosecutors.
Manns faces charges of second-degree murder, discharge of a firearm in or at a building causing death, and two counts of felony firearm, the report states. He was arraigned Monday, Sept. 21, and denied bond.
Michigan data and support resources
For statewide context, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says its Violent Death Reporting System dashboard includes data from 2014 through 2024 on violent deaths in which the injury occurred in Michigan. The department also says it tracks and analyzes injury-related data to examine trends over time and identify high-risk populations. The available dashboard description does not, by itself, provide a frequency or recent statewide pattern for intimate-partner homicides in the information reviewed.
People seeking confidential help can contact Michigan's VOICES4 hotline, which the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says is staffed by trained advocates for sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking 24 hours a day, every day, at 855-864-2374. The department's Wayne County domestic-violence resource directory lists First Step as a provider of victim services and shelter or housing, with a 24-hour crisis line at 734-722-6800.
Next Court Date Set for Probable Cause Conference
Manns is scheduled to return to court Tuesday, Sept. 29, for a probable cause conference, according to the report. Under Michigan law, the conference may be waived if the prosecuting attorney and defense attorney agree and provide notice, according to the Michigan Legislature.
A conviction for second-degree murder can carry life imprisonment or any term of years at the court's discretion under Michigan Compiled Laws Section 750.317. The publicly available account does not specify the firearm involved, the number of shots fired or whether Manns entered a plea.
