Court suspends Gentz's visitation rights with his daughter

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) - The Macomb County Prosecutor's office successfully blocked Joseph Gentz from seeing his daughter at a supervised visitation Friday. Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith said the move was necessary after Gentz confessed to murdering Jane Bashara in earshot of an assistant prosecutor at a hearing earlier this week.

Prosecutors filed emergency paperwork Friday morning, informing a judge that Gentz confessed to strangling Mrs.Bashara. An assistant prosecutor says he heard Gentz describe how he killed Mrs. Bashara. It happened earlier this week when Gentz was at the courthouse for a visitation hearing. At that time a referee sided with Gentz, saying he would be allowed supervised visits with his 10-year-old daughter.

Late Friday afternoon the judge issued an order to block Gentz from the 4 p.m. visitation. 

Gentz lost custody of his daughter about a year ago – the Macomb County Prosecutor’s office would only say it was because of odd behavior and inappropriate parenting. Gentz's family members and a former teacher have told Action News Gentz has a reduced mental capacity.

Grosse Pointe Park Police will not say why they set Gentz free after he told them about his role in the killing. Gentz has been assigned a public defender -- sources close to the investigation believe he may be making a deal with prosecutors.