ROSEVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Deandre Booker waived his right to come to court for day two of his preliminary hearing Friday in the murder case of Ashley Elkins. In fact, he could be heard yelling and cursing at jail staff through the court's video feed.
"It’s real clear to the court that Mr. Booker is screaming. He’s in the jail cell," Judge Joseph Boedeker told the court.
Watch the video report below:
Booker’s attorney said Booker was uncooperative, had refused to change into his jail uniform and didn’t want to come to court.
"Deandre Booker, this is the judge. I just want to inform you ..." the judge said as Booker yelled.
"You do have a right to be present in court," Boedeker continued. "You have a constitutional right to be here with your attorney."
The judge decided it was best for Booker to watch court from jail over Zoom. He’s accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, Elkins, a mother of two whose body has never been found.
The prosecutor asked a Roseville police detective during testimony, "What is it that you observed that made you want to put the yellow tape on this dumpster?"
"When I looked in and down, I saw what was absolutely certain to me to be blood," Roseville Police Detective Chris Moran said.
He said video of someone placing something in the dumpster showed the person appeared to be struggling. That person had pushed a shopping cart to the dumpster.
Detectives testified that the dumpster had already been emptied by the time they spotted the blood.
Then there's the questionable Google searches Booker allegedly made on his phone in late December 2024.
"He quote searched 'telling god i want to kill someone,'" Moran read.
That was searched 11 days before Elkins' disappearance.
Google results also showed "9 mm silencer roseville."
"That would be very relevant. A silencer is a tool that is commonly used to baffle the sound of a firearm," Moran explained.
Another search referred to killing an ex out of rage.
Watch over coverage of the first day of the preliminary hearing below:
A crime scene technician that processed Booker’s apartment also testified to finding a bullet fragment inside the bathtub drain, as well as an earring and a clump of hair.
The defense raised the point that it’s unclear who the items belonged to without further analysis and how long the items had been there.
Booker’s preliminary hearing is scheduled to resume Friday, Aug. 15.
