FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Farmington Hills man is charged with second-degree murder and faced a judge Thursday in connection with a brutal killing at a local nature park.
“Hello, my name is Gabriel Antonio Bercea," the suspect said to the judge over his video arraignment.
Watch Darren Cunningham's video reports below:
Police said they arrested him Monday after DNA linked the suspect to the May 3 crime. In court, 7 News Detroit learned the 23-year-old was arrested at his job in Wixom, where he works as a machinist.
Police also raided his home, located just 1 mile from the park. On Thursday, 7 News Detroit spoke with frequent park visitors about the break in the case.
“It definitely puts me at ease even more, and I would say probably puts the community at ease,” Sophie Lattimer said.
Watch the arraignment in the video player below:
Evan Beckner said, "Not necessarily concerned, but I was definitely looking over my shoulder the next few walks.”
Police Chief John Piggott held press conference after the arraignment. He said a violent confrontation took place in the park between the suspect and 65-year-old Richard Alan Harris. That struggle led to DNA being recovered from the victim’s fingernails and palms.
Piggott said the lab work came back positive on Monday, allegedly connecting Bercea to the crime.
“Why? I think that’s what everybody’s asking," Beckner asked. "It seems that it was totally random. I’m sure we’ll get more information as the case plays through.”
Watch the full press conference from Farmington Hills police in the video player below:
7 News Detroit asked the chief if the attack was, in fact, random.
I don’t know if I would say completely random at this point yet as the investigation, some of the investigation, will continue,” Piggott replied.
At the same time, investigators said preliminary information suggests the two men did not know each other prior to the incident. The chief said it appears the suspect used a tree log to bludgeon the victim and also strangled him.
“These men and women in our investigative bureau have worked tirelessly to solve this crime,” Piggott said.
The chief said witnesses placed the victim and suspect in the park together that day and their recollection helped state police develop a sketch. In court, 7 News Detroit learned the 23-year-old does not have a criminal record and that he's lived at his family home on Hawberry Road for 19 years.
Previous coverage: Farmington Hills police release sketch of person of interest in murder of man at Woodland Hills Park
7 News Detroit knocked on Bercea's door, but the person looking out through the blinds declined to answer.
“Sometimes, it gets tedious because you never know what that one piece of information is that’s going to turn a whole case,” the chief said.
He said that is exactly what it came down to in this investigation.
“It was a couple of frames of video in front of the park that led us to believe that a car had pulled into the park during the time frame we were looking for, and then we had to backtrack all of that to locate that," the chief explained.
Watch more coverage on the incident below:
Piggott said the public’s help was absolutely crucial.
“Everyone that we talked to helped us. If our investigators knocked on their door, people were willing to talk to us about what they saw. They were willing to share their Ring videos. Our business owners went back through their video systems," he explained.
“If it had not been for that attention to detail, this crime might not have been solved.”
Bercea is due back in court June 24 for his probable cause hearing.
