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The trial of the person accused of murdering poker professional Susie “Susie Q” Zhao has began in Michigan. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
A harrowing case
The trial of the person who’s alleged to have murdered poker skilled Susie “Susie Q” Zhao has begun in Michigan. 62-year-old convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Morris faces felony homicide and first-degree premeditated homicide expenses. There have been quite a few delays to the start of the trial, which began Monday, on account of the pandemic and numerous authorized issues.
coated in gasoline and set alight whereas alive
In accordance with prosecutors, Zhao, who they are saying was coping with schizophrenia on the time, was sexually assaulted earlier than she was coated in gasoline and set alight whereas alive. The 30-year-old’s physique was discovered by two males within the car parking zone space of Oakland County’s Pontiac Lake Recreation Space in July 2020. Most of her physique was badly burned and her wrists had been zip tied.
The motive for the killing
It took the authorities ten days to arrest Morris following the Zhao’s discovery. Court docket paperwork outlined among the particulars that led to the arrest. An FBI process power labored with White Lake police on the case.
On the time of his arrest, Morris was driving on a freeway roughly 30 miles from the homicide scene. Convicted of rape in 1989, police describe Morris as a homeless transient.
Zhao was initially from China, however moved to Michigan when she was younger. After attending highschool in Michigan, she went to Northwestern College to check psychology.
Prosecutors imagine that Morris was trying to have “pornographic fantasies come true.” The trial is predicted to final about one week and the prosecutors have 17 potential witnesses to name upon. Witness testimony started on Tuesday morning; the protection didn’t establish any witnesses.
Proof within the case
Prosecutors plan to current mobile phone proof in the course of the trial to indicate that Zhao and Morris have been with each other on the day of the homicide. Their two telephones present that they have been near the homicide scene across the time the killing came about. There may be additionally surveillance footage of Morris allegedly stealing petroleum jelly and zip ties from a close-by retailer. Lastly, prosecutors have permission to current proof of the defendant’s web searches and internet historical past for a interval surrounding the homicide.
Zhao was initially from Michigan, having moved again to her house state not lengthy earlier than her loss of life. She had been enjoying high-stakes poker in California for a few decade. Most of her focus was on money video games, however she nonetheless had match earnings all through her profession of $224,671.
It seems that Morris’ protection staff might be arguing that the proof is usually circumstantial and that their consumer is anticipating “his day for vindication.” Morris has spent more often than not since his arrest awaiting trial in county jail.