Novi Man To Stand Trial For Triple Murder From 2008
NOVI (WWJ) -- After nearly six years since a Novi family was brutally murdered in their apartment, the man police believe is responsible will go on trial Tuesday.
Lakshminivasa Nerusu, 47, allegedly killed his 37-year-old wife, 14-year-old daughter, and 12-year-old son in their apartment in the area of 13 Mile and Novi Road back in 2008. Novi Police Chief David Malloy said that Nerusu fled to India following the murder.
"There was a striking instrument, a knife that was used in the crime -- we we're able to recover much of that," Malloy said. "We were able to recover a significant amount of evidence linking Mr. Nerusu to those events as well, including scientific evidence."
Malloy said that he believes they have a solid case against Nerusu, who ran away to India before he was ultimately discovered and extradited back to Michigan last year.
"We believed that he was living on the streets, he was living in mosques, he was living in temples. He was living in a variety of places -- virtually a homeless person," Malloy said. "I think the pressure of being a fugitive on the run ultimately led to his discovery there in India."
Nerusu's attorney has filed a notice of insanity, but he has been found competent to stand trial. If convicted, Nerusu faces life in prison.
Investigators from the Novi Police Department worked with the FBI and State Department to apprehend Nerusu, who was taken into custody by the Andhra Pradesh State Police near Hyderabad, India last year on a three-count first degree murder warrant, issued by the Oakland County Prosecutors Office, and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit.