Sterling Heights man, recently off parole, charged with brutal murder of girlfriend
ROSEVILLE, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – A Sterling Heights man previously convicted of domestic violence is behind bars once again, this time accused of killing his girlfriend.
"I've never seen a beating like this. Never," Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido told CBS News Detroit on Thursday.
According to Lucido, a driver in Detroit called the police on Monday night after seeing a man assaulting a woman and gave them a description of the suspect's car.
About half an hour later, Roseville police saw it parked on Gratiot Avenue near Interstate 94. They say the driver, 42-year-old Martin Yost, was passed out in the driver's seat.
His girlfriend, Dhoua Lao, was lifeless in the passenger seat with severe injuries to her hands and face.
"Which would tell us that there seems to be a covering of the head and somebody's either stomping with their foot or kicking with their foot, and heel and toe. And the amount of blood, the clumps of hair that were stuck to the palms, it's severe. Truly, truly severe. The photographs are tough to even look at," Lucido said.
Yost is now charged with second-degree murder.
"This was an extremely brutal act," said Elizabeth Abbo, Macomb County assistant prosecuting attorney during Yost's arraignment Thursday morning.
Michigan Department of Corrections records show Yost was sentenced in 2015 and 2020 for domestic violence. He finished parole almost three weeks ago.
"Whether or not she knew he came off parole, whether or not she knew he had a tendency and/or had a past history of domestic violence, whether or not any of those questions would be up to more facts that are needed and to make it a determination of who she may have talked to about her relationship with this man," Lucido said.
Given the nature of the crime, 39th District Court Judge Alyia Marie Hakim ordered Yost to be held at the Macomb County Jail without bond at least until his next appearance for a probable cause hearing at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 29.
A preliminary exam is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 6.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, there is help available. You can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 and Turning Point at 586-463-6990.
