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DETROIT (AP) — Authorities charged a 60-year-old man with first-degree murder Thursday in the slaying of a Wayne State University police officer near campus, the third officer the man is accused of shooting in Detroit.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Raymond Durham was charged with the murder of officer Collin Rose on Nov. 22.
Durham wasn't the first suspect in Rose's death. Worthy in December dropped a murder charge against another man.
Rose was shot in the head in a west side neighborhood a few blocks from Wayne State while investigating possible thefts of navigation systems from cars. Before the shooting, Rose radioed in that he was about to speak to someone on a bike. He died the next day.
Durham was charged in March with attempted murder of two Detroit police officers who were shot when they stopped him. They survived. Police Chief James Craig had said that DNA evidence linked Durham to the Rose shooting.
Durham has twice been found incompetent to stand trial in those shootings. A judge later Thursday ordered Durham to also undergo a mental evaluation to determine if he is competent to stand trial in the Rose slaying.
Family members have said that Durham lived in an abandoned house and repaired bikes. His defense attorney, Gabi (GAH'-bee) Silver, has said that Durham appeared "to be somewhat delusional."
"This will bring a sense of closure to the family, our officers and the Wayne State University community at large," said Anthony Holt, the school's police chief. "This is a solemn time, not one of celebration, as our department is still recovering, but it does provide some comfort."
Wayne State has more than 27,000 students and is located in the heart of Detroit. The school employs around 65 officers.
Rose, 29, of St. Clair Shores, was a five-year veteran of the university's police force and worked in the canine unit. He is the only Wayne State officer killed in the line of duty.
He was awarded a citation for valor and posthumously promoted to sergeant.
"Sgt. Rose's career and his impact on others will never be forgotten," Worthy said Thursday. "This case continues to strongly illustrate the dangers that police officers face every minute of every day."
Durham's scheduled arraignment Thursday was postponed. He's due back in court in November.
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