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Detroit man faces murder charge in 1997 slaying of woman

This photo provided by the Detroit Police Dept.shows Joseph Yenshaw. Yenshaw was charged with first-degree murder Friday, April 1, 2022 in the fatal strangulation of a woman nearly 25 years ago. ((Detroit Police via AP))

DETROIT – A Detroit man was charged with first-degree murder Friday in the fatal strangulation of a woman nearly 25 years ago.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged Johnny Joseph Yenshaw, 51, in connection with the slaying of Sonya Dockery, 33, of Detroit.

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Detroit police found Dockery unresponsive on the morning of Dec. 1, 1997, with strangulation marks and lacerations on her neck. Medics pronounced the woman dead.

An investigation of the cold case by Detroit police led to Yenshaw's arrest on Wednesday, Worthy said. Further details will be introduced in court at his preliminary examination on April 25, she said.

Yenshaw was arraigned on one count of first-degree murder and remanded to jail on Friday

It wasn’t clear whether Yenshaw has an attorney who might comment on his behalf.


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