DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. – The family of 36-year-old Bushra Mawry pleaded through tears Friday for the maximum punishment for the man convicted of murdering her -- a case that left a Wayne County courtroom shaken.
“You violated us,” one family member said, moving the judge to tears as they described the loss of Mawry, who they called a rare soul — “kind, selfless and full of love.”
Amir Patterson, 31, known to some as the “Rouge Reaper,” sat quietly during his sentencing for murdering the Dearborn Heights mother, shooting another man, and committing a home invasion in June 2023 in Westland.
Prosecutors said Patterson became upset that his ex-girlfriend was not paying him enough attention and went on a violent rampage.
“Unfortunately and tragically, Miss Mawry was killed, fleeing for her life from the defendant, who was shooting wildly at any person who was in his field of vision,” Wayne County prosecutor Dominic DeGrazia said.
The shooting happened June 1, 2023, in the 37000 block of Scottsdale Circle in Westland. When officers arrived, they found Mawry and a 32-year-old Romulus man suffering from gunshot wounds.
Both were taken to nearby hospitals, but Mawry later died.
Patterson was arrested without incident in Detroit on June 7, 2023, and arraigned two days later on charges of first-degree murder, assault with intent to murder, first-degree home invasion, and three second-offense felony firearm violations.
Mawry’s family said she was visiting a coworker’s home when the attack happened.
During the sentencing hearing Friday, emotions boiled over. At one point, a member of Mawry’s family threw a water bottle toward Patterson.
Defendant Patterson said, “Shut your stupid ass up -- I didn’t kill your sister.”
Prosecutors later detailed Patterson’s violent past, saying his crimes date back to at least 2014. In 2016, Patterson took a plea of manslaughter in a murder and felony firearm case.
“They were afraid to testify because they knew of the defendant, they knew of his reputation, and they knew he was a dangerous person, and nobody wanted to come into court,” prosecutor Dominic DeGrazia said.
Calling Patterson violent and impulsive, prosecutors asked for a 75- to 100-year sentence.
Patterson’s defense attorney reminded the court of his difficult upbringing and pointed to an apology letter Patterson wrote following Mawry’s murder.
Patterson had been released on parole just months before the shooting, after serving time for the 2016 manslaughter conviction.
“I am so sorry that there is so much evil in this world,” Judge Gillis told the family before addressing Patterson directly. “Mr. Patterson, on count one, homicide - murder in the second degree - you are going to be sentenced to 75 years to natural life.”
Mawry’s family told the court that “mercy to the guilty is a crime to the innocent.” Patterson was sentenced as a fourth habitual offender.
Mawry, who leaves behind a child, had dedicated her life to helping others, founding the organization Hand in Hand Yemen to address the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, according to her family.
“Her main thing was helping the poor,” her family said. “Yemen is facing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Children are dying of starvation. And that was her goal — to keep children away from dying due to starvation.”
The Mawry family later said they were satisfied with the sentence. Patterson’s family was seen crying as they left the courtroom.