Apartment Complex Employee Charged As Accomplice In Troy Woman's Death
TROY (WWJ) - Authorities say a second man charged in connection with the death of a Troy woman worked at the apartment complex where she was killed and helped the accused murderer get inside.
William Vernell Jones was arraigned Wednesday in 52-4 District Court on one count of home invasion in the March 21 death of 37-year-old Kalpana Murali-Babu. He was ordered held on a $250,000 bond ahead of a May 19 preliminary exam.
Police say Jones was employed at Somerset Apartments, where Murali-Babu was killed. According to police, Jones assisted suspect Charles Anthony Stephens with gaining entry to Murali-Babu's home.
Police say charges against Jones are a result of "the persistence of Troy investigators and the assistance of many other agencies."
Murali-Babu, the mother of two young children, was found stabbed to death after she failed to pick up her kids from a bus stop. Her husband was out of the country on business at the time and learned of his wife's death upon arrival at Detroit Metro Airport a day later.
Stephens, who lives in the same building as Murali-Babu, was immediately named a suspect in the killing. He's charged with felony murder. According to reports, robbery is believed to be the motive for the killing.
Stephens remains jailed without bond. He's due back in court for a pretrial hearing on June 8.