Prosecutors say three of the victim’s children were inside the home when the March 17 shooting happened.
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. — A 39-year-old Macomb County man was ordered held without bond Friday after prosecutors said he shot and killed his girlfriend inside her Center Line home, where three of her children were present, then ran from the scene before officers caught him nearby.
Zachary Fuqua was arraigned in 37th District Court on one count of second-degree murder and five weapons charges in the death of 38-year-old Erica Marie Sanders. The case has drawn sharp attention because prosecutors say the shooting happened in the family home, in front of children, and because court records show the next phase of the case will move quickly, with a probable cause conference set for April 1 and a preliminary examination scheduled for April 8.
Authorities say the shooting happened about 5:30 p.m. on March 17 at a home on Sterling Street near Van Dyke Avenue in Center Line. Police who rushed to the house found Sanders on the floor with a gunshot wound and tried lifesaving measures, according to local officials. Ambulance personnel pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators say Fuqua, described as Sanders’ live-in boyfriend, fled on foot after the shooting. Officers from Center Line and Warren later arrested him near 10 Mile Road and Wainwright Street after a description was broadcast over police radio. By Friday morning, Fuqua was in court by video from the Macomb County Jail as Judge Suzanne Faunce read the charges and heard arguments about whether he should be released pending trial.
Prosecutors said the case was especially severe because children were nearby when Sanders was killed. Assistant Macomb County Prosecutor Jonathan Mycek told the court that investigators intend to show Fuqua shot Sanders in the back of the head in the presence of three minor children. Mycek said the allegations showed “callousness” and argued Fuqua should remain jailed because he posed a danger to the public. Prosecutors also said that, as he left the home, he handed candy to the children and made a brief remark to them. Court records and news reports identify the additional charges as possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person and three felony-firearm counts. Officials have not publicly described the full sequence inside the house in detail, including where each child was standing when the shot was fired.
The victim’s family has described the loss as sudden and overwhelming. In interviews with Detroit television stations earlier in the week, Sanders’ relatives said her four children were home when the violence broke out and said the family was still trying to understand how the night turned deadly. One brother said relatives had heard an argument preceded the shooting, though he also said the family did not know exactly what sparked it. Another family member spoke through tears about the children left behind and the deep shock of losing Sanders so suddenly. Center Line Public Safety Director Paul Myszenski said officers worked to save her when they entered the home, underscoring how fast the scene turned from a domestic emergency into a homicide investigation.
Fuqua’s defense attorney, Mark Vrana, urged the judge to consider that his client had ties to the area, describing him in court as a Warren resident, a Chrysler employee and the father of an 11-year-old daughter. Vrana asked the court to keep the presumption of innocence in mind as bond was considered. But the prosecution pointed to the facts alleged in the killing and to Fuqua’s legal status involving firearms. FOX 2 reported that the judge said Fuqua had a prior conviction for carrying a concealed weapon and was not supposed to possess a firearm. That became a major issue in the arraignment because the weapons counts are tied not only to the homicide allegation but also to whether he was legally barred from having both the gun and ammunition in the first place.
Authorities have not announced a motive, and that remains one of the central unanswered questions in the case. Still, multiple reports said relatives and investigators had pointed to troubling signs before the shooting. ClickOnDetroit reported that Fuqua posted the phrase “going out with a bang” on Facebook on March 14, three days before Sanders was killed. Sanders’ family also told local reporters they had seen concerning social media activity over the previous month and believed Fuqua had been struggling with something in the days leading up to the shooting. Investigators have not publicly said whether those posts are being used as evidence, whether there were earlier police calls to the home, or whether any prior domestic violence complaints had been filed. Those questions could become clearer as the case moves through court.
The immediate legal path is now set. Fuqua remains in custody without bond in the Macomb County Jail. At the April 1 probable cause conference, the court is expected to address the status of the charges and whether the case will proceed as filed. A preliminary examination is scheduled for April 8, when prosecutors typically present early evidence to show there is enough to move the case to circuit court. If convicted of second-degree murder, Fuqua could face life in prison. The weapons counts could add more prison time if the case ends in convictions on those charges as well. For now, court records show the matter remains at the district court stage while investigators continue to build the record.
Author note: Last updated March 22, 2026.