WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. – Two teenage men were in court Monday in connection with the death of a West Bloomfield woman who was shot and burned last month in her car while she was listening to music.
Desean Smith, 18, is facing a number of charges, including open murder, in Diana Pesserl's death.
Jaylen Stringer, 19, is accused of helping Smith cover up the crime.
Stringer's father spoke exclusively to Local 4 about his son's charges.
Pesserl was found shot to death in a burning car in West Bloomfield in early December. Smith was charged with open murder in her death. Police said Pesserl was sitting in her car listening to music when she was killed.
James Stringer, Jaylen's father, who is a Navy veteran, said Jaylen has known Smith since he was 9 years old and they used to play on the same team as children.
"He's [Smith] like a nephew, only one of three kids that have been to my house since we moved out here [West Bloomfield]," James Stringer said.
However, Stringer said they stopped being friends when they were 14 years old.
"He [Smith] started doing things that I didn't agree with," Stringer said.
However, Smith appeared at Stringer's house back in December.
"They [Stringer's children] said he basically knocked on my patio door unannounced and told them he caught a cab from Detroit for $25," he said.
Stringer said Smith left the house unannounced and came back to confess to the murder.
"My son told me that what this guy did was he fessed up to him after 3 o'clock in the morning. It wasn't an hour later, the police came knocking on my door. He didn't have a chance to react. He's 19 years old. All kinds of stuff going through his head. He said he [Jaylen] punched him [Smith] twice when he told him, but he didn't have any remorse," Stringer said.
He said officers immediately arrested Smith, and asked to speak to Jaylen.
"My son informed them at that time that he [Smith] hid a gun in the heat register," Stringer said.
Stringer said Smith also put clothes in their washing machine.
"I'm freaking out at that point because I'm told there's a dead body and none of this is making any sense," he said.
Stringer said Jaylen is his "go-to" guy for repair work around the house, helped with his mother who is a stroke survivor, and was a focused college student.
"My son ain't the kind of guy that would know this dude did all this stuff and let him get away with it or even assist him. It hurts because I know his life has come to a work stoppage, education, training and development. It's crazy. My heart goes out to the Pesserl family, but I haven't even had the chance to grieve because of this nightmare for me and my family," Stringer said.
Jaylen Stringer faces five years in prison for the accessory after the fact charge and 10 years in prison for tampering with evidence.
Jaylen Stringer and Smith will both have preliminary hearings Jan. 27.
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