Zion Foster's cousin Jaylin Brazier charged with murder
(CBS DETROIT) - Jaylin Brazier, 24, of Detroit, has been charged in connection to the murder of his cousin, 17-year-old Zion Foster of Eastpointe.
"Zion, she was a lot like me in some ways. But in some ways, she was a million times better," said James Royster, Zion's father.
He said he and his daughter both shared a love of reading, but she was fearless in way he wasn't. She was never afraid to try something new.
"I feel like she really had a lot to offer this world," said Royster.
Brazier was charged with first-degree murder, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.
He was taken into custody today, Tuesday, June 13. His arraignment was also scheduled for today.
Royster said it has been extremely painful for him during this nearly year and a half long investigation, knowing that no one was paying for taking his daughter from their family.
"Every day knowing that the person who murdered my child is waking free, like it's ok. And like it was alright that it happened. And the fact that honestly, I did nothing about that. I felt as a failure as a father, as a person, as a man, every day of my life."
He said there have been times he questioned the police, and how long the investigation has taken. But he is grateful for those that made it happen and to those who showed him support along the way.
"Despite how I look, I'm happy about what happened today. And hopefully this leads to some small amount of justice I guess we can say," Royster said.
It is important to note that officials say the body of Zion Foster has not been found.
"Our hearts go out to the family of Zion Foster. This case is a quintessential example of investigators and prosecutors who refused to give up on her homicide. For 18 months, investigators put together the evidence. Each piece of evidence in this case was examined and linked together," said Prosecutor Kym Worthy. "Today we are charging Zion's cousin, Jaylin Brazier, with Murder in the First Degree * for allegedly killing Zion."
Background on the Zion Foster Case
On Jan. 5, 2022, Ciera Milton, the mother of Zion Foster, contacted the Eastpointe Police Department to file a missing person's report as she had not seen Foster since Jan. 4, 2022. Milton also filed a missing person's report with the Detroit Police Department.
Detroit police conducted a massive investigation to search for Zion Foster.
On Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, Detroit Police Chief James White named Brazier as a person of interest, and he turned himself in at a local precinct a short time later.
On Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, Brazier was charged with lying to police after he was questioned about Foster's disappearance, and was convicted with a no-contest plea.
As the search for Foster continued, Brazier confessed that he dumped Foster's body after she went unresponsive while they were smoking marijuana, on Jan. 4, the night she was last seen.
Operation Justice for Zion Foster: Authorities search landfill
Local and federal enforcement agencies began searching the Pine Tree Acres Landfill in Lenox Township for the 17-year-old's body.
After weeks of searching the landfill, the Detroit Police Department ended the search at the landfill.
"Ending the search without recovering Zion's remains is very difficult for all of us," Police Chief James E. White said in a statement in October. "I can only imagine the pain Zion's family is going through, and we all certainly share in that pain."
The massive search was initially launched on May 31 and was projected to take six to eight weeks, but community donations allowed the search to extend through Oct. 2.
Zion Foster's cousin Jaylin Brazier released from prison
In January 2023, Brazier was released from prison after 10 months. In 2022, he was sentenced to at least 23 months in prison for lying to police officers while he was questioned during the investigation. Milton was "livid" after learning Brazier was out on parole as she still didn't have any answers about her daughter's disappearance.
In the latest update on Tuesday, June 13, Brazier has been taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of Zion Foster. He is also scheduled to be arraigned on June 13.
Officials say more information will be placed on record during the preliminary examination.