Murder Suspect Arraigned in Royal Oak

Kirk David Leach, 27, of Royal Oak, charged with open murder and arraigned in 44th District Court Wednesday in the city’s second homicide of the year.

Leach faces up to life in prison if convicted of the murder charge, and also was charged for possession of a firearm by a felon, punishable by up to two years in prison, Royal Oak police sad in a statement.

Judge Derek Meinecke ordered Leach held without bond.

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Leach is accused of shooting Kenith Tyran Walter, 28, of Madison Heights three times in the torso earlier this week in a house in the 2800 block of Fern Street. Water showed up about 1:30 a.m. Monday at Beaumont Royal Oak, where he later died.

As he was led from the courtroom after his arraignment, Leach said “get me a good lawyer,” The Detroit News reported. A woman who was seated in the front row was weeping and shouted, “He didn’t murder anyone,” the newspaper said.

O’Donohue also cleared up some of the mystery about how Walter, near death, got to the hospital. A third person, who has not been charged, drove Walter there, he said.

O’Donohue said Walter was shot in a dispute in Leach’s home, but declined specific details.

Walter was paroled from prison in January after serving six years on a home invasion charge. Walter was also in prison from 2007-2009 after a conviction of larceny in a building, larceny from a person, and breaking and entering.

A neighbor in the 2800 block of Fern, Brad Foucher, told The Daily Tribune the house where the shooting is believed to have taken place is “kind of an interesting house — sort of a fun house — with a lot of people coming and going all the time.”

The homicide is the city’s second this year, occurring exactly two weeks after the first. On Oct. 12 when Theresa Diamos, 50, was allegedly shot by her boyfriend, David Douglas Davis, 49, who faces open murder and other felony charges. O’Donohue said the two homicides aren’t related.

Leach’s next court appearance is a probable cause hearing at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 6, in 44th District Court. His preliminary examination is a week later, on Nov. 13.

Leach has prior misdemeanor convictions for possession of marijuana, retail fraud, driving with a suspended license, driving without a driver license and possession of open intoxicants in a motor vehicle.

Also on Patch

• Suspect Arrested in Royal Oak Homicide
• Royal Oak Murder Victim ID’d, Suspect to Be Arraigned