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Charles Stephens (Troy Police photo)
An former prison inmate is charged with fatally stabbing a 37-year-old Troy mother during an apparent break-in Monday afternoon at Somerset Park Apartments on Golfview Drive, near Big Beaver Road and Coolidge Highway.
Charles Anthony Stephens, 53, of Troy, was arrested Tuesday night in Detroit and arraigned late Wednesday afternoon in front of 52-4 District Court Magistrate Clement Waldmann on a felony murder charge, The Oakland Press and The Detroit News report. The judge denied bond.
The break-in occurred before 5:15 p.m. Monday, police say, adding that the suspect -- a tenant in the same building -- thought no one was home. The victim's husband, traveling abroad on business, learned of the tragedy more than 24 hours later.
"The Troy Police Department was unable to make next of kin notifications until late Tuesday evening," it says in a Facebook post. "Further information regarding the identity of the victim is not presently being released in order to allow ample time for additional family notifications."
The suspect was released from prison last Aug. 29 after six crimes.
Somerset Park, a 250-acre spread just south of the Somerset Collection mall, pitches "resort-style living . . . in a tranquil environment." It has five pools, eight tennis courts, a 16-acre park, softball, cricket and a nine-hole golf course. Apartments and townhouses rent for $835 to $1,480 a month.
It's the type of suburban oasis, in other words, that attracts young professionals, families and seniors with a sense of security, serenity and recreation.
Tenants include Stephens -- a target of detectives investigating several area larcenies, police say.
His state prison record shows six convictions and nine aliases. He was released less than seven months ago after pleading guilty to attempted larceny, assault, breaking and entering, and receiving or receiving stolen property. Those crimes and two others occurred in Wayne and Oakland counties from 1987-2002.
"Troy officers, working in conjunction with the Oakland County Major Case Assistance Team, identified a suspect early in the investigation," the force's social media post says. "The Troy Police Department has had multiple previous contacts with the suspect."
Somerset Park, near Big Beaver and Coolidge, has five pools.
Mike Martindale of The News adds details about this week's violence at the bucolic setting:
“Two elementary aged children returned home from school and could not get into their apartment,” Sgt. Meghan Lehman said. “The victim did not answer the door or telephone.
“Another neighbor called for medical assistance after looking through the window and seeing her lying motionless on the floor inside.”
It's this year's first murder of in Troy, which had one in 2015, Martindale writes. He quotes the sergeant as saying:
“Evidence connected to the larceny and the death have been recovered. The motive for the killing may have been that she caught him committing a larceny.”
