EASTPOINTE, Mich. – The Macomb County McDonald’s employee accused of stabbing her manager to death was arraigned and issued a $25 million bond.
Afeni Muhammad, 26, of Eastpointe, virtually appeared before 38th District Court Judge Kathleen G. Galen for her arraignment at 1 p.m. on July 11.
She was arraigned on the charges of first-degree murder, carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent and being a habitual offender, second offense, in connection with the fatal stabbing of 39-year-old Jennifer Harris at the McDonald’s at 17921 9 Mile Road in Eastpointe.
You can watch the full hearing in the video at the top of this article.
In the swear-to, Eastpointe Detective Showers revealed new details about the case.
He said that Muhammad was sent home from work by Harris for not performing her duties, and told Harris, “I’ll be back.”
Muhammad had admitted that she intended to kill Harris.
She told authorities that after she was sent home, she drove to a park before deciding to go back to the McDonald’s and stab Harris with a knife that she had inside her vehicle.
The knife was allegedly a kitchen knife longer than 3 inches, according to authorities.
When she returned to the McDonald’s, she entered through a back entrance with a “hooded mask over her face” in an attempt to conceal her identity, according to Showers.
The detective also noted that Muhammad tried to flee, but was stopped by an armed customer.
Muhammad’s arraignment followed the swear-to. A not guilty plea was entered on her behalf, and a court-appointed attorney was requested.
The defense attorney asked for an appropriate bond and said that the habitual second offense charge comes from when Muhammad was in an “extremely abusive relationship.”
Sian Hengeveld, an assistant prosecutor for the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, requested no bond based on several reasons, including that Muhammad was a threat to the community.
The assistant prosecutor said Muhammad entered a public building and stabbed the victim up to as many as 15 times, with a knife longer than 3 inches, causing her death.
Hengeveld also discussed the risk of flight, referencing that Muhammad had tried to flee McDonald’s after the attack, and said there is a “very high likelihood of conviction.”
The assistant prosecutor also said Muhammad has previously been involved in a stabbing involving a knife.
The judge said, based on the charges and the facts presented, that there was a “significant threat to public safety.” She also said that, based on her “violent criminal past,” the court has concerns that Muhammad may engage in “further violent conduct if she is released.”
Galen also said there is no indication that the defendant has “stabilizing ties to the community that would ensure her return for court appearances,” causing concerns about the likelihood of flight.
Due to these reasons, Galen set her bond at $25 million, cash/surety only, with the following conditions:
If she posts bond and is released:
- She must wear a steel cuff GPS tether
- She can’t leave the state of Michigan
- She must report a change of address within 24 hours
- She must have stringent daily contact with community corrections about her whereabouts
- She must undergo alcohol and drug testing
- She can’t have any contact with the family of the victim or witnesses
- She can’t return to the McDonald’s location
Muhammad’s probable cause conference is set to happen on July 23, and her preliminary examination was scheduled for July 30.
Here’s everything we know about the stabbing:
The stabbing happened shortly before 8 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, at the McDonald’s at 17921 9 Mile Road.
Officers were dispatched to the McDonald’s location after receiving a report of a stabbing and a shot being fired.
When they arrived, they discovered that a manager and another employee had been involved in an argument, and the manager sent the employee home early.
Shortly after that, the employee, identified as Afeni Muhammad, allegedly returned to the McDonald’s with a knife and stabbed the manager, identified as Harris.
“She left for five minutes,” said an employee who was working at the time of the attack. She came back with a mask on her face, and the only thing I seen was her hands, that’s how I knew it was her."
Muhammad allegedly stabbed her manager multiple times before a customer who was waiting in line in the drive-thru intervened.
The customer fired a shot to try to stop the attack, and then held the suspect at gunpoint until officers arrived. No one was struck by the bullet, according to police.
“He had her sitting down there in the parking lot next to a vehicle and he had the gun pointed at her,” said Edward Ballestero, another employee who was working when the stabbing happened. “That’s when police and all them rolled up.”
Officers arrived, and the employee was taken into custody.
Harris was taken to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries.
Her children describe her as selfless and a hard worker who aimed to provide for her six children as a single mother.
“She was the best mom anybody could ever ask for,” said Harris’ daughter, Antonia Griffin. “My mama – she woke up every day and went to work for us. My mama died trying to take care of us.”
Her children said Harris had worked as a manager at that Eastpointe McDonald’s for several years and said they had even met the coworker accused of killing her.
They’re now in shock at how such senseless violence could have ended their mother’s life.
“She’s a hard-working woman, so kind,” Griffin said. “If anybody needed her help, she would give you her last, give you the shirt off her back. She did not deserve this at all.”