By: Brian Wells | Roseville-Eastpointe Eastsider | Published April 23, 2026
ROSEVILLE — A man from Lexington, Michigan, who was found guilty of first-degree murder last year in the death of a 63-year-old woman in October 2022, has pleaded no contest to assault charges that arose during his time in custody.
Stephen Freeman, 23, was charged with murder in November 2022 in the death of Gabriele Seitz, 63, whose body was found in the bed of her pickup truck, which was being driven by Freeman.
Roseville police were called to a crash Oct. 27, 2022, near Common and Hayes roads, after which the driver had fled. While investigating, officers discovered Seitz’s body in the truck bed, partially covered with blue bedsheets.
Freeman was arrested several days later.
He was convicted Sept. 16, 2025, following a two-week trial and more than seven hours of jury deliberations. Jurors found him guilty of first-degree premeditated and felony murder, along with home invasion, criminal sexual conduct, concealing a death, and receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle.
Prosecutors said Freeman, who was 19 at the time of the initial incident, broke into Seitz’s home, sexually assaulted her when she returned and strangled her with a shoelace before moving her body to the truck.
Freeman has yet to be sentenced.
While in custody, Freeman was involved in four separate cases involving assault or attempted assault at the Macomb County Jail.
Esther Wolfe, communications director for the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, said all the incidents were directed at prison staff.
On April 13, Freeman pleaded no contest as charged on the four files and six assault felonies. He will be sentenced on the charges during a Miller hearing in front of Circuit Court Judge Julie Gatti at 9 a.m. July 10.
The Miller hearing will determine whether Freeman will be sentenced to life in prison or a term of years; the Prosecutor’s Office said the maximum of the term of years would likely be between 40 and 60. The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that defendants ages 18 to 20 cannot automatically receive life without parole, requiring courts to weigh factors before sentencing.
“While the convictions for these assault offenses are significant to the People, the sentence this Court imposes will have limited practical impact in light of the defendant’s murder conviction, for which he faces either life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or a lengthy term of years — likely between 40 and 60 years,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said in a prepared statement.
Freeman’s attorney, Gary Kennedy, did not return a request for comment by press time.