DETROIT – The system failed them.
Local 4 heard from the family of a murdered woman whose suspected killer is believed to have been set free after a previous attempt on her life.
They are heartbroken, and they are furious.
Zlayiah Frazer was murdered this week during a violent rampage in Harper Woods.
Officials say that her boyfriend is the accused killer, and he was out on a $10,000 bond for trying to kill Frazier just days before.
“How do you commit a crime like sexual assault and torture, and they let you out with $10,000,” said Zlayiah Frazier’s Brother Quazon Frazer.
Frazer is asking the key question of the 36th District Court Magistrate Dawn White on behalf of his 22-year-old- murdered sister.
Why did White give Zlayiah Frazier’s boyfriend, 23-year-old Jonathan Welch a $10,000 bond and a tether after a horrific domestic violence attack against Fraser on June 2?
The charges are lengthy:
- Torture
- First-degree Home Invasion
- Harmful device causing injury
- Criminal sexual conduct
- Assault to commit sexual penetration
- Assault to do great bodily harm
- Three counts of felonious assault
Welch posted that $10,000 bond last Friday (July 8).
He is now charged with murdering Frazer last Sunday while murdering his step-father and critically stabbing his own mother while setting her house on fire and shooting at police.
At Welch’s arraignment on the murder charges, Harper Woods police called the bond given to Welch an opportunity to kill.
“He was given a chance with bond at that time and took his freedom as an opportunity to finish the job and kill victim Frazer,” said Harper Woods Deputy Chief Ted Stager.
“$10,000 is easy to come up with,” Quazon Frazer said. “It’s people that will steal something from a store that’s more than $10,000. You torture somebody, you sexually assault somebody, and you get out by paying $10,000.”
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement:
“It is an understatement to say that it is exceedingly difficult to get appropriate bonds for violent felonies from some of the 36th District Court Magistrates. Magistrates have reports available to them that detail alleged crimes in their files before a bond decision has to be made.
The bond that was given to Mr. Welch for his alleged horrific crimes was much higher than we usually get, so we were hopeful that after the presentation of the evidence at the preliminary examination, that would hopefully persuade a judge to increase the bond accordingly.”
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy
Welch is being held without bond.
