MUSKEGON, Mich. — The man accused of murdering two women in Muskegon Heights on Monday allegedly recorded himself committing the crimes.
Deangelo Aubrey was arraigned Thursday on two separate counts of open murder for the deaths of Sasha' Spears and Shelenthia Willis. The 42-year-old had romantic relationships with both women, according to police.
During Thursday's arraignment hearing, the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office told the judge videos were found on Aubrey's phone showing the women after they had been attacked.
"Part of this was videotaped by the defendant," said Matt Roberts, chief trial attorney for the Musekgon County Prosecutor's Office. "The level of brutality here involved is really just shocking exhibited to both of these women and just tragic, tragic circumstances."
"The videos are very short in nature," continued Roberts. "So there's not a lot of detail there. Questions about motive and things like that are part of the investigation as it's going on, and that will be something that ultimately we believe we would be able to present to court."
Evidence collected so far points to Aubrey using multiple weapons, but no guns, in the assaults, said Roberts.
Investigators also established that Aubrey was also trying to find a third woman the night of November 17. She was also a former romantic flame, according to Roberts.
Aubrey was arrested just before midnight on Monday, more than nine hours after Sasha' Spears was found dead in her home on Hoyt Street by her sister. Around 10 p.m. that night, a second woman, now identified through court records as Shelenthia Willis, was found dead in a vehicle near 6th Street and Delano Avenue.
Two hours later, police arrested Aubrey outside the Walgreens on Apple Avenue and Quarterline Road in Muskegon Township.
Aubrey was on parole for a sentence tied to a 2020 assault at the time of the murders, per online records. He served approximately fours years of a 14-year maximum sentence before parole was granted. He also spent time in prison for an armed robbery case from 2000.
The decision to place Aubrey on parole is not something local law enforcement offices have any say in, Roberts told FOX 17.
"In this case we were able to achieve what we thought was a very strong sentence, a minimum sentence for him to achieve for this type of offense, but unfortunately the parole board felt that it was time for him to be released and now we're left to deal with the tragic fallout of those decisions," said Roberts.
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The prosecutor's office met with the families of both women before Thursday's arraignment to explain what the legal process would look like.
"What we've told the family is our focus here is going to be making sure that this is an individual who never sees the light of day again, who spends every moment of the rest of his life incarcerated for what he has done to these women," said Roberts.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Aubrey would face a mandatory life sentence without the chance of parole. On Wednesday the judge ruled Aubrey will be held without bond.
