Man charged for Detroit cab driver murder in court

William M. Heard, 39, of Detroit charged with open murder in death of cab driver Tyrone Hitchcock

DETROIT – William M. Heard, 39, of Detroit was charged with open murder, armed robbery, carjacking, assault with the intend to murder and felony firearm in court on Thursday.

The judge entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of Heard who was arraigned via video.

UNCUT: Man charged for Detroit cab driver murder.

If Heard is found guilty of open murder he faces life in prison.

Police say Heard shot, killed and carjacked cab driver Tyrone Hitchcock, 48, of Detroit on Jan 3rd.

Read: Detroit cab drivers concerned for own safety after recent shootings, killings

~Tyrone Hitchcock~

He also robbed and shot a 46-year-old woman who was in the cab.

Heard will be court for a preliminary exam on Jan 17th and he was ordered to be held in jail without bond.

Read more: Family mourns slain Detroit cab driver; passenger injured

Cab drivers have had a difficult time staying safe in the city of Detroit over the past couple of years.

In March 2011 a cab driver was shot on the city's east side. Another driver was shot the following month on the west side. Just this past September a driver was shot and killed while stopped at an ATM on the city's west side.

On Oct. 16, another driver was shot and killed while parked at a Mobil gas station on Detroit's east side. Then, just a few days later, a 58-year-old driver was shot on the city's west side.

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