GUILTY MI - Susie Zhao, 33, professional poker player, found fatally burned, Detroit, 13 Jul 2020 *arrest*

[Niner]

Docket update:

Date Code Desc
10/05/2022 JTC JURY TRIAL CONTINUED DAY 0.75; TO CONTINUE ON 10/7/2022.

10/04/2022 JTC JURY TRIAL CONTINUED DAY 1.00 - TO CONTINUE ON 10/5/22.

link: Court Explorer

 

[Niner]

Friday, October 7th:
*Trial continues (Day 4) (@ 10am CT) – MI – Susie Zhao (33) (last seen by her mother on July, 12, 2020 @ 5:30pm leaving home, found July 13, 2020 near Pontiac Lake State Recreation park in White Lake Township @ 8:30am, Detroit; due to severe burns (90%) to her face & body, authorities needed a week to identify Zhao) - *Jeffery Bernard Morris (60/now 62) was arrested (7/31/20) after being pulled over on a warrant in Ypsilanti & charged (8/4/20) & arraigned (9/24/20) with 1st degree premeditated murder & charged (3/8/21 & 1/11/22) & arraigned (4/15/21) with homicide felony murder. Plead not guilty. Denied bond.
Zhao was bound with zip ties, tortured, sexually assaulted & set on fire after meeting a convicted sex offender at a motel the night before her badly burned body was found. Morris is a Tier 3 sex offender.
Trial began on 10/3/22. State & defense rested their cases on 10/5/22.
Court info from 8/4/20 thru 9/76/22 & Trial Day 1-2 (10/3 to 10/4/22) reference post #138 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...rned-detroit-13-jul-2020-arrest.534103/page-7
10/5/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 3: State witnesses: FBI special agent George Rienerth assigned to the case. Ronald Groeneveld. Daniel Knoblock. Both discovered body. State rested their case as did the defense.
for more info see post #140 (last article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...rned-detroit-13-jul-2020-arrest.534103/page-7
The court will reconvene on 10/7/22 at 9am as the jurors hear closing arguments ahead of jury deliberations.

 

[Niner]

While we wait - here's a good article bring anyone up to speed on the case.

Testimony: Accused killer of Susie Zhao searched internet 2,000 times for violent sex

In building their case, Oakland County’s chief litigator John Skrzynski and assistant prosecutor Brandon Barlog presented the jury with cell phone evidence, DNA evidence, witness testimony and more…

www.theoaklandpress.com

 

[Niner]

Well - that was a quick verdict!!

Michigan Jury Finds Jeffery Morris Guilty of Murdering Poker Pro Susie Zhao

It took jurors less than an hour to find Morris guilty on both counts of felony murder.

www.pokernews.com

Oct. 7, 2022

It took a Michigan jury less than an hour on Friday, Oct. 7 to find Jeffery Bernard Morris guilty of murdering former professional poker player Susie Zhao in July 2020.


Morris, 62, was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder in Oakland County Circuit Court for the killing of Zhao, a regular in the Los Angeles poker scene whose badly burned and mutilated body was discovered in a state recreation area.
[.....]
Throughout the week, lead prosecutor John Skrzynski built the case against Morris, a convicted criminal who Oakland County prosecutors said Zhao had met in July 2020 after moving to Michigan to live with family during the pandemic.

Drawing on more than a dozen witnesses — an FBI special agent assigned to the case, a childhood friend of Zhao's who was one of the last to see her alive, a detective who testified that Morris had searched for violent sexual assault on his phone nearly 2,000 times in the month before the murder, to name a few — Skrzynski told jurors that Morris had met up with Zhao at Sherwood Motel and convinced her to be zip-tied before driving her to an isolated dirt road.
[.....]
In the coming days, defense attorney Michael McCarthy made numerous attempts to poke holes in the prosecution's story, including questioning the way detectives initially interviewed Morris and pushing back on DNA evidence that linked Morris to Zhao.

But it wasn't enough to convince the jury, who quickly returned to Judge Martha Anderson on Friday afternoon with two unanimous guilty verdicts after hearing several hours of closing arguments earlier in the morning.
[.....]
Sentencing for Morris will take place on Nov. 10, according to Judge Anderson. The 62-year-old faces a separate life sentence without parole for both counts.

 

[Niner]

Docket update:

Date Code Desc
10/07/2022 JTE JURY TRIAL ENDED 1.00

10/07/2022 FDJ FINAL DISPOSITION WITH JURY GAC

10/07/2022 APR DATE SET FOR SENTENCE ON 11102022 10 00 AM Y

10/07/2022 PROCEEDING TO BE HELD IN-PERSON

10/05/2022 JTC JURY TRIAL CONTINUED DAY 0.75; TO CONTINUE ON 10/7/2022.

link: Court Explorer

 

[joe jones]

Jury Deliberates Less than One Hour Before Convicting Registered Sex Offender of Sexually Assaulting, Burning, and Murdering Professional Poker Player

A Michigan jury has convicted a 62-year-old sex offender of sexually assaulting, burning, and murdering a 33-year-old professional poker player.

lawandcrime.com

 

[Niner]

Jury Deliberates Less than One Hour Before Convicting Registered Sex Offender of Sexually Assaulting, Burning, and Murdering Professional Poker Player

A Michigan jury has convicted a 62-year-old sex offender of sexually assaulting, burning, and murdering a 33-year-old professional poker player.

lawandcrime.com

Sentencing date 11/10/22.

 

[DrQ]

IMHO I hope LE provides more info on the arrest in this case. My father was a professional high stakes gambler. His winnings were very high. No disrespect intended but I agree her $224,671 is good money but career wise not so much. Moving back home with her parents and having "personal challenges" may have been part of what happened. Sad

 

[Niner]

IMHO I hope LE provides more info on the arrest in this case. My father was a professional high stakes gambler. His winnings were very high. No disrespect intended but I agree her $224,671 is good money but career wise not so much. Moving back home with her parents and having "personal challenges" may have been part of what happened. Sad

I should have got into high stakes games. I do love to play blackjack! They do have casinos here but have yet to go into one to play. Seem to be run by Russians....

 

[Niner]

Docket update - sentencing date stays the same.


Date Code Desc
11/07/2022 MRR REQ/NTC-FILM/MEDIA COVERAGE FILED

11/03/2022 MRR REQ/NTC-FILM/MEDIA COVERAGE FILED

10/10/2022 VUR VERIFIED UNNECESSARY FOR CLERKS REPORT /JR

link: Court Explorer

 

[Niner]

Thursday, November 10th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 10am CT) – MI – Susie Zhao (33) (last seen by her mother on July, 12, 2020 @ 5:30pm leaving home, found July 13, 2020 near Pontiac Lake State Recreation park in White Lake Township @ 8:30am, Detroit; due to severe burns (90%) to her face & body, authorities needed a week to identify Zhao) - *Jeffery Bernard Morris (60/now 62) was arrested (7/31/20) after being pulled over on a warrant in Ypsilanti & charged (8/4/20) & arraigned (9/24/20) with 1st degree premeditated murder & charged (3/8/21 & 1/11/22) & arraigned (4/15/21) with homicide felony murder. Plead not guilty. Denied bond.
Zhao was bound with zip ties, tortured, sexually assaulted & set on fire after meeting a convicted sex offender at a motel the night before her badly burned body was found. Morris is a Tier 3 sex offender.
Trial began on 10/3/22 & ended on 10/5/22. State & Defense rested their case on 10/5/22. Jury found Morris guilty (10/7/22) of all counts.
Court info from 8/4/20 thru 9/76/22 & Trial Day 1-3 (10/3 to 10/5/22) reference post #142 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...rned-detroit-13-jul-2020-arrest.534103/page-8
10/7/22 Friday, Trial Day 4: Closing arguments by Oakland County’s lead prosecutor John Skrzynski & defense attorney Michael McCarthy & Judge Martha Anderson gives jury instructions. And jurors started deliberations.
It took a Michigan jury less than an hour to find Morris guilty of murdering Susie Zhao. Morris was found guilty of 1st degree premeditated murder & felony murder in Oakland County Circuit Court for the killing of Zhao. Sentencing for Morris will take place on 11/10/22, according to Judge Anderson. He faces a separate life sentence without parole for both counts.
for more info see post #144 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...rned-detroit-13-jul-2020-arrest.534103/page-8
10/10/22: Verified unnecessary for Clerk's report. 11/3/22 & on 11/7/22: Request/Notice-Film/Media coverage filed.

 

[Niner]

Date Code Desc
11/10/2022 S SENTENCED ON: 11/10/22

11/10/2022 FOUND GUILTY ON: 10/07/22

11/10/2022 DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

11/10/2022 CHS 750.316-A HOMICIDE-MUR FIRST DEG-PREMED

11/10/2022 SENTENCED - CONVICTED BY JURY G

11/10/2022 NATURAL LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE

11/10/2022 BEGINNING 11/10/22

11/10/2022 CREDIT FOR 0 MONTHS 831 DAYS

11/10/2022 LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE

11/10/2022 CHS 750.316-B HOMICIDE-MUR FIRST DEG-FELONY

11/10/2022 SENTENCED - CONVICTED BY JURY G

11/10/2022 MIN: 0 YEARS 0 MONTHS 0 DAYS

11/10/2022 MAX: 0 YEARS 0 MONTHS 0 DAYS

11/10/2022 BEGINNING 11/10/22

11/10/2022 CREDIT FOR 0 MONTHS 0 DAYS

11/10/2022 *SEE NOTE BELOW

11/10/2022 SENTENCE ENHANCED PURSUANT TO MCL 769.13(4TH)

11/10/2022 ATTORNEY FEES

11/10/2022 VRF VICTIMS RIGHTS FEE $130

11/10/2022 MSC STATE MINIMUM COSTS OF $136.00

11/10/2022 OTHER: NO CONTACT WITH THE VICTIM, ZUSIE ZHAO'S FAMI -

11/10/2022 LY.

11/10/2022 *THE DEFENDANT'S CONVICTION AND SINGLE SENTEN -

11/10/2022 CE IS OF ONE COUNT OF FIRST-DEGREE

11/10/2022 MURDER SUPPORTED BY TWO THEORIES: PREMEDITATE -

11/10/2022 D MURDER AND FELONY MURDER. SEE

11/10/2022 P V BIGELOW, 229 MICH APP 218.

11/10/2022 ES END OF SENTENCE INFORMATION

11/10/2022 S SENTENCE IN FRONT OF ANDERSON

11/10/2022 JTS JUDGMENT OF SENTENCE FILED Order Document

11/10/2022 NTA NOTICE OF TIMELY APPEAL FILED


link: Court Explorer

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Suspect sentenced in slaying of poker pro

A jury found Jeffery Morris guilty of first-degree murder. Zhao's burned body was found July 13, 2020, near an Oakland County recreation trail.

www.detroitnews.com

 

[swedeheart]

This article made me furious. I followed Susie's case back when it began, but haven't checked in for a bit. The following write-up caught my eye this morning, while reading the Daily Mail. This monster should have never been on the street in the first place.

He kidnapped her, bound her with zip ties, brutally raped her, with, what sounds like might have been a baseball bat, then burned her ALIVE. WTAF.

Sex offender sentenced to life in prison after burning alive woman

Jeffery Morris, 62, was sentenced to life without parole on Thursday for the murder of Susie 'Susie Q' Zhao, 33, in July 2020. He indicated that he would appeal the verdict.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[swedeheart]

Hey @Niner do you have a link for his arrest affidavit? Didn't find one in this thread. The links to the Court Explorer website come up as an error for me. Thanks in advance. Appreciate you!

 

[Niner]

Hey @Niner do you have a link for his arrest affidavit? Didn't find one in this thread. The links to the Court Explorer website come up as an error for me. Thanks in advance. Appreciate you!

No I do not have a link to his arrest affidavit. This is the only link I have for the court site - which does not give much.

Court Explorer