(WXYZ) — A man accused of killing his cousin is headed to trial. Jaylin Brazier faces a charge of second degree murder in the death of Zion Foster.
District court judge Kenneth King asked Brazier, "How can you have the audacity to do that to somebody who's related to you? Somebody that you're supposed to love? Somebody who's supposed to be a cousin to you?"
Police say on January 4, 2022, Zion Foster left her home in Eastpointe and never returned.
Police say Brazier told them that he got high with his cousin in January of 2022 and panicked when she stopped breathing.
During his confession tape Brazier can be heard saying, "I smoked, all we had was weed. Normal marijuana. So I freaked out. Ok, well this is terrible. So, literally I didn’t know what to do. So, I took her. I put her into my trunk. I put her in my trunk, and I took her to Highland Park and I put her inside of a trash can and I left.”
Investigators tracked the trash thrown away at that time to a landfill in Lenox Township. A search of that landfill came up empty. Foster's body has not been recovered.
In June, Brazier was arrested and charged in her murder.
After two days of testimony, the judge decided there’s enough evidence to send the case to circuit court.
Brian Brown, Brazier's defense attorney told 7 Action News, "I'm not surprised just given the situation, and I guess the media coverage of the particular case. Ya know, it's the court of public opinion. I think the judge feel he made the right decision. I don't totally agree with that decision, but we respect the decision and we just look forward to proving his innocence in trial."
