Details Emerge as Royal Oak Murder Suspect Arraigned (video)
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 29, 2015)
Police say a dispute among acquaintances led to the shooting death of 28-year-old Kenith Tyran Walter on Monday Oct. 26, 2015 in a home on Fern Street in Royal Oak. The shooting suspect appeared before 44th District Court Judge Derek Meinecke on Thursday morning to be arraigned.
The suspect, 27-year-old Kirk David Leach, lived in the home on Fern street and was an acquaintance of the victim. Royal Oak Police Chief Corrigan O’Donohue told reporters after the arraignment “We’ve had a lot of questions through this investigation and we haven’t been able to release info all during the investigations. In this case, this homicide was some type of dispute in the home that resulted in the homicide… They’re all acquaintances. it’s a tragic situation, but there’s no danger to the neighborhood or anything like that.”
A Detective described the circumstances leading to Leach’s arrest, recalling that Walter had arrived at Beaumont Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. He stated that the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s office had done an autopsy that determined the cause to be homicide from multiple gunshot wounds and complications. O’Donohue told reporters later that another individual who had been in the home at the time of the shooting drove Walter to the hospital.
Police surrounded the home on Fern, bringing in the SWAT team to secure the home and make sure that the suspect was not inside. Leach was arrested less than 12 hours later at a home in Garden City.
Leach is charged with open murder and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. A probable cause conference has been scheduled for Nov. 6, and a preliminary exam is scheduled for Nov. 13. Judge Meinecke entered a “not guilty” plea on behalf of Leach, ordered him held without bond, and has ordered a court-appointed attorney to represent him.
Leach has prior misdemeanor convictions for Possession of Marijuana, Retail Fraud, Driving While License Suspended, Driving without a Driver License, and Possession of Open Intoxicants in a Motor Vehicle.
An upset woman in the courtroom shouted “I love you” to the suspect and he responded for her to get him a good lawyer. She left the courtroom saying that he was not a murderer. When asked about her assertions, Chief O’Donohue stated “We’re certain we have the right person. That’s what the trial is for.”
Previous stories:
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/10/26/less-than-12-hours-after-shooting-royal-oak-murder-suspect-captured/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/10/26/victim-in-royal-oak-shooting-dies-suspect-still-at-large/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/10/26/swat-team-responds-to-shooting-in-royal-oak/
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