DETROIT (AP) - Detroit police have arrested four people in the robbery and killing of a French street artist whose body was found in the ruins of an abandoned public housing project last year, authorities said Wednesday.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy filed first-degree murder charges against three young males and expects to charge a 14-year-old boy in the killing of 23-year-old Bilal Berreni, her office announced. Worthy says Berreni was killed during a robbery but has not provided additional details.
Berreni's body was found July 4, 2013, with a gunshot wound in the face outside the Frederick Douglass Homes. No identification was on his body, and it took seven months before Michigan State Police identified him, using fingerprints.
"It sickens me that a young, talented artist who had traveled the world to pursue his passion was murdered here, thus reinforcing the stereotypes for many about our city of Detroit," Worthy said in a statement.
Dionte Travis, 17; Jasin Curtis, 18; and Drequone Rich, 20, were arraigned last week and ordered jailed pending a probable cause hearing Sept. 11 in Detroit District Court, Worthy said. It wasn't immediately known if they have lawyers.