HARPER WOODS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Two days after being released from the Wayne County Jail on bond and ordered to wear an electronic tether, investigators say Jonathan Lamont-John Welch killed his girlfriend and his stepfather. They also say he stabbed his mother.
Judge Kenneth King says it's the "court's worst nightmare" when a crime victim and witness is killed.
Since mid-June, Welch, 23, was at the Wayne County Jail facing several charges for allegedly sexually assaulting his girlfriend. He was released on bond Friday.
On Sunday, police responded to Welch’s mother’s home in Harper Woods on Kenosha Street near Sanilac Street, where Welch was ordered to stay upon his release. Police say Welch stabbed his 42-year-old mother multiple times in the back with a butcher knife and killed his girlfriend Zlayiah Frazier, 22, of Roseville and his stepfather Robert Bray, 70, of Harper Woods with blunt force trauma.
Once on the scene, Harper Woods police officers located Welch’s 1-year-old son in the backyard of the home. The child was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Frazier is also the mother of Welch's 1-year-old son.
Police say Welch fired multiple gunshots at the officers while barricading himself inside the home. Welch, police say, also started a fire inside the home before appearing in the front doorway. After being apprehended by police, he was taken to a local hospital.
Welch, also known as Jonathan Lamont-John Welch, was arraigned on Tuesday and was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, four counts of assault with intent to murder, one count of second-degree arson, seven counts of felonious assault and six counts of felony firearm. He received a $100,000 surety bond, which he'd need to pay 10% of, with a tether and was ordered to have no contact with his mother.
He remained in jail as of Wednesday afternoon.
MID-JUNE ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF GIRLFRIEND
On June 2, Detroit police officers were dispatched to a home on Kilbourne Avenue near Dickerson Avenue for a domestic assault. Police say Welch woke the victim, his girlfriend, while sexually assaulting her at approximately 3 a.m.
Welch demanded the password to the victim’s cell phone. When she refused to comply, Welch physically assaulted her, placed an extension cord around her neck and strangled her, police said.
Police say he poured gasoline on the victim, burned her arms and legs with a metal spatula and attempted to sexually assault her with a large pole. During the attack, Welch also beat her with his belt and threatened her with a drill.
The victim was able to escape and run out of the front door to a neighbor’s house when Welch went into the kitchen. Welch followed her onto the neighbor's porch and pulled on her but left.
Once Welch left, neighbors took the victim into their home, gave her a blanket to cover herself and called 911. Welch then returned and kicked in the neighbor's door and left the location in a car before police arrived.
A Detroit police investigation led to the arrest of Welch later the same day.
On June 2, Welch was been charged with torture, home invasion, first-degree harmful device use and possession causing injury, third-degree criminal sexual conduct, assault with intent to commit sexual penetration, assault with intent to do great bodily harm and three counts of felonious assault.
Welch's next court appearance is scheduled for July 20 at 1:30 p.m. for a probable cause conference. A preliminary examination is scheduled for July 27 at 1:30 p.m.
