Man charged with murder of grandfather, uncle in Sterling Heights

Image 1 of 3

A grandfather and uncle killed and a grandmother was badly wounded Monday with their 20-year-old grandson the suspect.

Marcus Kragness, 20, was living with his grandparents and Tuesday was in court charged with murder. Kragness allegedly stabbed to death his 79-year-old grandfather Jerry Pastuszak and his 44-year-old son, Mark.

Grandmother, Sandy, 71, was hospitalized in critical condition. 

Murder charges could mean life in prison for Kragness - a sentence he didn't seem to comprehend - when the judge ordered him held without bond.

"Do you have any questions?" asked the judge.

"You said I can't get bonded out," Kragness said.

"Correct," the judge said. "You're charged with a life felony, you're ordered being held without bond."

Kragness sneered and stood up from the table with his shirt unzipped and his bare chest showing. Police have said he may have mental issues.

He had just moved up from North Carolina to live with his grandparents - a couple of weeks ago.

"My grandson has gone berserk," said Sandy during her 911 call at 12:30 a.m. Monday during the attack at their home on Lea Court - where they had lived for nearly 50 years.

The family was not in court, they were at St. Ephrem Catholic Church where they are active parishioners.

"Sandy is someone who volunteers a lot at the church," said Father Craig Giera, a priest at St. Ephrem. "She distributes communion at mass, she's very well known to the community. Jerome is very much loved and I've heard many stories about how much fun he was and how much they loved him."

Dedicated to their church, devoted to their family especially their grandchildren who gathered in prayer Tuesday evening.

"It's a tragedy," Giera said. "With our faith and our forgiveness as the family says, we can get through anything."