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Man bound over for trial in deadly shooting of Detroit mother in front of 4-year-old girl

Earl Maxwell accused of fatally shooting Latrese Morris-Dorsey

DETROIT – It has been four months since a Detroit mother was shot and killed in her own home. 

Earl Thomas-Lionel Maxwell is accused of shooting Latrese Morris-Dorsey, 42, multiple times June 18 at her home in the 20060 block of Avon Avenue. He was bound over for trial Monday.

Police said Maxwell shot Morris-Dorsey in front of her 4-year-old daughter. Her 14-year-old son was in a nearby room in the house, police said.

Medical officials were called to the scene and pronounced Morris-Dorsey dead.

Maxwell is charged with first-degree murder and a felony firearms violation.

What happened

Police said Maxwell was Morris-Dorsey's ex-boyfriend. Her teen son heard arguing followed by gunshots. Neighbors recalled what happened next. 

"He was saying, 'Help, my momma has been shot. My momma going to die. I don't know what's going on,'" said Ron Wilson, a neighbor who performed CPR on the woman. 

Neighbors said they rushed inside to try and help the woman, who was shot multiple times. 

"I gave her CPR (and) noticed the bullet wounds," Wilson said. "As I gave her CPR, she took her last two breaths."

The teen told police he saw a man running from the home moments after his mother was killed. He reported seeing a black man leaving the home and driving off in a dark-colored vehicle.

"He might never be right -- always thinking he saw his mother pass," Wilson said.

Medics responded to the home and pronounced the woman dead.

Police said Maxwell turned himself in to the Detroit Police Department a couple of days later. 

He is scheduled to be in court Monday for a preliminary examination. 

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About the Authors
Koco McAboy headshot

Koco joined the Local 4 News team in September of 2016. She was born and raised in Metro Detroit, attended Central Michigan University, and previously worked at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids.

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