HARPER WOODS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Many people are upset following a double homicide on Sunday in Harper Woods. The suspect in the case, Jonathan Welch, 23, was out of jail despite a prior violent crime in June against the woman he later murdered.
Jeff Wolfe lives across the street from where the killings happened.
“When I got to my porch, I looked over and I saw a woman lying on the porch, blood all over the place,” explained Wolfe.
Welch is accused of killing his girlfriend and his father and stabbing his mother in the back.
“It’s just a reminder that these things can happen. And you’re not necessarily protected from these things when they do occur,” Wolfe said.
Welch had just been released on bond two days before the killings. Prosecutors said he tortured and sexually assaulted his girlfriend in June. However, the judge in the case still granted Welch a $100,000/10% bond, meaning he was able to bond out on just $10,000.
The judge in the case did not respond to requests for comment.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy issued a statement about the case saying, “It is an understatement to say that it is exceedingly difficult to get appropriate bonds for violent felonies from some of the 36th District Court magistrates. Magistrates have reports available to them that detail alleged crimes in their files before a bond decision has to be made,” said Prosecutor Worthy.
Worthy added, “The bond that was given to Mr. Welch for his alleged horrific crimes was much higher than we usually get so we were hopeful that after the presentation of the evidence at the preliminary examination that would hopefully persuade a judge to increase the bond accordingly.”
Steve Kaplan, former prosecuting attorney for Wayne and Macomb Counties, reacted to the $100,000 bond.
“A higher bond should have been set based on what we know now. Based on what the judge knew at the time, it wasn’t outrageous,” explained Kaplan.
He said the public’s outrage is justified.
“People are justified because in hindsight, yes, a higher bond would have prevented the defendant form being available to commit new crimes,” Kaplan said.
He also explained how bond is normally set.
“If I person is charged with murder, there’s not going to be a bond. Not at all. We know better. If a person is charged with attempted murder or assault with intent to murder, the bond is usually $100,000 dollars cash, meaning no 10%,” explained Kaplan.
He said it’s easy to judge the situation in hindsight.
“Monday morning quarterback says set a high bond, make the bonds 200 thousand dollars cash surety. No 10 percent, defendant doesn’t pass go, defendant remains in jail. But if every defendant received a bond such as that, we’d have to build another jail,” said Kaplan.
