Macomb prosecutors seek first-degree murder in Roseville slaying

An assistant officer of Macomb County justice mentioned {that a} shoe aspect with a shoe tight, mentioned that Stephen Freeman has tightened the neck of Gabriele Seitz to kill her.

“Three to 5 minutes, Gabriele Seitz had this shoelace round her neck,” mentioned assistant Macomb officer of Justice Darrien Fortier on Tuesday a jury in a courtroom of Circuit Courtroom Courtroom. “For 3 to 5 minutes she had this shoelace round her neck as a result of Stephen Freeman put it there. Gabriele Seitz died three to 5 minutes. Stephen Freeman killed her for 3 to 5 minutes.”

Fortier emphasised the period of time it took the then 19-year-old Freeman to kill the 62-year-old Seitz throughout her reply as a part of the try and condemn Freeman of the primary diploma, homicide for Seitz’s loss of life in October 2022 in her Roseville house.

“It was premeditated. He had time to consider,” mentioned Fortier’s Cohort, assistant Macomb officer of Justice Kumar Palepu, minutes earlier throughout remaining arguments, half one.

It took Freeman a couple of minute to disconnect the homicide weapon from the black sneaker of Seitz, Paleup mentioned.

“All this took time,” he mentioned. “There is no such thing as a sudden impulse about excluding a shoe. There is no such thing as a sudden impulse in regards to the OM her neck for that period of time. … It’s lengthy sufficient to offer an inexpensive particular person an opportunity to suppose twice about killing her,” possibly I should not do that. “

The jury delegated the case-included additional cost-for 3-1/2 Tuesday with out reaching a judgment and is deliberate to renew the deliberations 9:30 am Wednesday. Consultations observe a trial interval of greater than per week within the courthouse of Mount Clemens with 18 witnesses and 111 exhibitions.

Homicide of the primary diploma bears a compulsory high quality of life in jail with no conditional launch.

The Public Prosecution Service says that Freeman and Seitz didn’t know one another, as a result of there was no proof of an digital communication between them, and her mates and kinfolk indicated that they by no means heard something about Freeman.

However Freeman’s lawyer, Gary Kennedy, claimed that Freeman and Seitz may have had a ‘hidden relationship’, and the homicide may have been the results of intercourse recreation that was unhealthy. Freeman’s DNA was discovered on her vagina and chest, which additionally induced an indictment of sexual assaults.

“We do not know what occurred,” mentioned Kennedy. “You do not know whether or not the intercourse was consensual or not … My concept is extra logical than that of them (the persecution).

“What in the event that they have been experimenting? Mr. Freeman used De Schoel as an experiment?”

Kennedy criticized the police as a result of he didn’t observe a Google Voice -SMS -report from a non -ignored particular person to Seitz that appeared to point a romantic relationship.

“It is sensible that there is perhaps a relationship that they (household and mates) didn’t know,” mentioned Kennedy. “They (public prosecutors) should current it as a non-consensual relationship.”

Palepu famous that the extreme brutality of the incident when Seitz 23 sustained accidents, together with a damaged breastbone, subsequent to the strangulation, due to the beating. Head trauma was a contributing issue to her loss of life, a medical investigator mentioned.

Palepu additionally famous that the Seitz’s cellphone was present in her car after Freeman crashed him after which fled on foot.

“He used her cellphone,” he mentioned in regards to the suspect. “He took her cellphone.”

The persecution claims that Freeman Seitz killed between 19:15 and seven:52 pm October 26, 2022, after he ran into her Utica Street house at about 6:30 pm at 6:30 pm, Seitz got here dwelling at 7:10 pm after working at Nationwide Coney Island. 5 minutes later, a neighbor Seitz heard shout: “Go away,” mentioned the neighbor. The neighbor SMS’te Seitz, “Ru Okay,” he mentioned. Based on testimony, Seitz by no means responded.

At 7:52 pm they looked for pornography, together with one with sexual acts between a “grandma” and “School Boy”, on the cellphone from Seitz. Public prosecutors declare that the searches have been made by Freeman after her loss of life, whereas Kennedy claimed that Seitz may have led them.

Throughout his remaining argument Freeman, Kennedy admitted throughout his remaining argument, was “clear” within the house as indicated by the DNA, fingerprint and video certificates, and that the jury may condemn him of second -degree homicide, which has a most lifetime of life, however at a sure level an opportunity of conditional launch. He famous that Freeman may have left DNA and fingerprints throughout an earlier go to.

Kennedy is claimed to have argued as a possible judgment for manslaughter, however Decide Julie Gatti denied his try and document it as a alternative for the jury.

Kennedy argued since Freeman and Seitz had a sort of relationship, Freeman was left within the house by Seitz.

That signifies that Freeman may have been within the house earlier, which may clarify why Freeman’s DNA was discovered on a rubbish bag stuffed with her possessions in her house, and his fingerprints have been discovered on and close to the toilet window the place he reportedly broke, in line with Kennedy.

Kennedy recommended that Freeman labored on the toilet window as a favor for her.

However Fortier went in opposition to the display screen that was not repaired as a result of it was “backwards” and the window was damaged when the police have been inspected it.

Shortly after 1 hour 27 October 2022, an individual who says prosecutors that Freeman will be seen in video with a heavy object, of which Fortier mentioned it was Seitz’s physique, within the mattress of her Ford Ranger Decide -Up Truck Parked simply exterior her dwelling.

His fingerprints have been discovered on the steering wheel and different components of the decide -up, which Freeman rode and crashed in a truck shortly after midday 27 October 2022, in Hayes and communal roads in Roseville, lower than two miles of her dwelling.

The police initially recognized Freeman from the content material of a plunge bag found by a detective within the parking zone of an organization close to the house of Seitz. An individual who wears the clothing-a light-colored Nike Hoodie and black pants who correspond to the garments that Freeman has been arrested will be seen in video that hangs a fence within the small house advanced the place Seitz lived.

Palepu acknowledged that the jury is perhaps interested in a motive within the case, however he identified that the persecution doesn’t should show why Freeman did what he reportedly did.

“Why” would not matter, “he mentioned jury members. “I’m not a thoughts reader. I’ve to show that he did it. I haven’t got to show why he did it.”

Freeman, 22, can also be accused of crime homicide based mostly on the underlying accusations of first diploma dwelling invasion and second -degree prison sexual conduct, in addition to hiding the loss of life of an individual. About 15 family and friends of Seitz attended the ultimate arguments, whereas Freeman’s mother and father have been there on Tuesday and former days.

Initially revealed: September 17, 2025 at 8.15 am Edt