DETROIT – A New York man was found guilty Wednesday of murdering a Detroit man and burning his body in 2013.
A Detroit jury found Andrew Czarnecki guilty of first-degree murder, felony murder, armed robbery and mutilation of a dead body.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19. The conviction carries a mandatory life sentence.
Officials said the case arose from the 2013 killing and burning of a gay man.
"This conviction in a cold-case murder of a gay man illustrates the Fair Michigan Justice Project’s resolve, in association with the prosecutor’s office, to investigate and vigorously prosecute serious crimes against the LGBTQ community," Fair Michigan President Dana Nessel said. "We used our dedicated resources to find witnesses, gather evidence, extradite Czarnecki from New York, and mount a successful prosecution. With this conviction, the FMJP maintains its 100 percent conviction rate for the cases we have charged. We are proud to provide the community with an opportunity to come forward, speak up, and win justice whenever these crimes occur."
A co-defendant, Hameer Alkotait, is scheduled to return to court Dec. 14 for a pretrial hearing.