DeNaeja Watkins, 18, is accused of using Facebook to threaten a witness in a 2017 murder case.
"Kill The (expletive) Witness DISMISS That Snitch (expletive)" is what investigators say the teen posted.
One of the teen's close relatives is set to go on trial for the September 2017 shooting death of a man outside a house on Fischer Street near Mack Avenue on Detroit's east side.
"If you make threats to harm a witness in a case or against police, we're taking it very seriously." said Detroit Police Lieutenant Kenneth Gardner. "We're going to move forward with a complaint against you, and once that complaint is signed, we're going to come and apprehend you."
Watkins is now facing multiple charges including Witness Intimidation and Obstruction of Justice.
"We're not playing on this case," said Michigan State Police Detective Rick Lutz who is assigned to DPD's Homicide Task Force. "You're not going to project stuff out onto Facebook or any other social media avenue to try to intimidate our witnesses, to not bring justice for this family. It's just not going to happen. We're not going to allow it."
7 Action News contacted defense attorney Haralambos (Harry) Mihas who is representing Watkins. He declined to say anything other than his client is innocent until proven guilty.
