MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – Andrew Fiacco was found guilty Thursday of second-degree murder in the death and dismemberment of 19-year-old Stephen McAfee.
Andrew Fiacco, 21, was charged last year with McAfee's murder after the Macomb Township teen's remains were found in April 2017 at a vacant property in Bruce Township and near Fiacco's home in Ray Township. McAfee had been missing since March 2016.
Fiacco had been charged with first-degree murder, but a jury found him guilty of the lesser charge.
His defense argued he acted in self-defense.
Fiacco is expected to be sentenced March 21.
Lower extremity remains and a skull were found buried near Fiacco's home, investigators said. At the Bruce Township location, a lower jaw bone and clothing were found, investigators said. Positive identification was made from evidence found at the Bruce Township location, which is near 34 Mile Road and Van Dyke. Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said this is a vacant plot of land.
Fiacco was originally charged with first-degree murder, disinterment and mutilation of a dead body, lying to a police officer and felony firearms violations.
Eevette MacDonald, 19, was charged with accessory after the fact to a felony, disinterment and mutilation of a dead body and lying to a police officer. She pleaded guilty to the accessary charge and will be sentenced March 7.
What happened
Investigators had been working to find McAfee and figure out what may have happened to him since March 13, 2016 when the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office took a report of a missing person from McAfee's family.
Click here to view the timeline of events in the Stephen McAfee murder case.
The case went cold for nearly a year. According to the Macomb County Sheriff's Office:
"An investigation was started by Macomb County and multiple friends/family were interviewed. Investigators followed up on numerous tips, missing person posters were distributed, and a reward was offered. A private investigator was utilized by the family. All leads were exhausted and the case went cold."
That's until March 2017, a year after McAfee went missing, when MacDonald allegedly told her friend she knew what happened to McAfee. MacDonald said her ex-boyfriend, Fiacco, shot McAfee to death in a wooded area in Bruce Township, according to investigators.
Investigators said MacDonald's friend went to the Sheriff's Office, with her father, on April 26, 2017 and told investigators MacDonald confided in her that she helped Fiacco dispose of McAfee’s body a month after Fiacco shot him in the woods in Bruce Township.
MacDonald and Fiacco both were arrested that day.
McAfee's remains were found the next day, April 27, 2017. Fiacco led investigators to both locations where the remains were found.
Investigators said Fiacco eventually admitted to shooting McAfee in the face when McAfee allegedly attacked him. But that was after a year of Fiacco denying he had any knowledge of McAfee's disappearance.
Motive unclear
During a news conference on April 28, 2017, investigators and Prosecutor Eric Smith said the motive for this crime was not clear at the time. Investigators said Fiacco gave multiple stories.
"Their motive is a little sketchy right now," Smith said. "But after the thorough investigation by the investigators with the Sheriff’s Department, we’re confident in our charges and we’re confident in our ability to prove these charges."
Sheriff Wickersham said there is no evidence the homicide was drug-related.