Man accused of killing half-sister during dispute

STERLING HEIGHTS/FARMINGTON HILLS — A Farmington Hills man is accused of killing his half-sister in Sterling Heights May 26, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.

According to a May 30 statement from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, Zachary Holston III, 50, from Farmington Hills, had left a family business in Sterling Heights May 26 when his half-sister, her husband and her daughter met him in the parking lot. They allegedly had an argument. According to Prosecutor’s Office spokeswoman Dawn Fraylick, the incident happened in the 6000 block of 19 Mile Road.

A Prosecutor’s Office press release said Holston was entering his vehicle when the family members “approached the passenger door.” Then a “physical altercation” reportedly arose regarding paperwork contained in the vehicle.

The Prosecutor’s Office press release said both Holston and his half-sister had guns, and “(t)hey exchanged gunfire.” This reportedly led to the half-sister being taken to the hospital and declared dead.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Holston was arraigned before Magistrate Jim Verploeg from the 41-A District Court in Shelby Township on charges of second-degree murder and felony firearm. The first charge is a felony that can bring life imprisonment upon conviction; the other charge brings two mandatory years of imprisonment upon conviction.

Holston’s bond was set at $500,000 cash or surety, no 10%. If the bond ends up being posted, he would still need to stay at home, wear a tether, undergo a mental health evaluation and refrain from contacting the victim’s family or business, officials said.

According to the MiCOURT database, a probable cause conference was slated for June 29 in Sterling Heights 41-A District Court.

In a statement, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido expressed his lack of tolerance for gun violence.

“This is not the way for family to settle family business,” he said. “All disputes must be settled civilly between parties in or out of the courtroom, not on the streets. The loss of a life is always a profound tragedy, and it is especially disheartening when it occurs within the bonds of family.”

Holston’s listed attorney, Gerald Evelyn, could not be reached for contact by press time.

Anyone who has more information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office by visiting prosecutor.macombgov.org.