EASTPOINTE, Mich. – The man who admitted to throwing the body of his cousin, Eastpointe teenager Zion Foster, in a dumpster has been sentenced to several decades in prison.
Jaylin Brazier was found guilty last month of killing Foster. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning with a guilty plea.
He returned to court Monday, June 3, 2024, to learn his sentence.
“The defendant is sentenced to 38-90 years, with a consecutive sentence of 5-10 years on count two, with credit for 356 days served,” Judge Donald Knapp said.
Brazier initially lied to authorities, saying he never saw Foster on the night of her disappearance. He later changed his story, saying his cousin stopped breathing while they smoked marijuana.
He claims Foster died suddenly, so he panicked and drover her body to a dumpster in Highland Park.
Brazier was charged with lying to authorities during their investigation. He accepted a plea deal and was sentenced in 2022 to 23 months to 4 years in prison. He was released after 10 months.
Officials conducted several searches for Foster’s body, but she was never found. Wayne County prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in June 2023, saying Foster’s body was not necessary for the case.
