Determined competent, Preliminary Exam date set for Center Line man charged with Second-Degree Murder of girlfriend while children in home

Mount Clemens, Mich. – Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido announced that during a Probable Cause Conference/Competency Hearing held on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Erica Hardy and defense counsel stipulated to, and the court adopted, the findings of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Center for Forensic Psychiatry report dated July 16, 2026. The report found 39-year-old Zachary Fuqua, of Center Line, Michigan, competent to stand trial. 

He is charged four felonies, including Second-Degree Murder in connection with the shooting death of his girlfriend inside her home, while her children were in the residence. The hearing was held before Warren District Court Judge Suzanne Faunce of the 37th District Court due to early voting at the Center Line District Court. 

A Preliminary Exam for Fuqua will be held on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 10 a.m. before Judge Faunce at the 37th District Court in Warren. Fuqua is held in the Macomb County Jail without bond.

It is alleged that on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, Fuqua shot his 38-year-old girlfriend, Erica Marie Sanders, in the kitchen of her home in Center Line. Officers with the Center Line Police Department responded to the residence where they found the victim with an apparent gunshot wound. Despite attempts to provide lifesaving aid, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Three of Sander’s four children were home at the time of the shooting. 

Fuqua is charged with the following offenses:

• Murder – Second Degree, a felony punishable by life or any term of years
  • Firearms - Possession by Prohibited Person, a felony punishable by 5 years
  • Ammunition - Possession by Prohibited Person, a felony punishable by 5 years
  • Three Counts: Felony Firearm, each a felony punishable by mandatory 2 years consecutive

These are the maximum charges available under the law based upon the evidence presented to date.

“The allegations in this case involve an act of alleged domestic violence that resulted in the loss of a life and immeasurable pain for the victim’s loved ones. My office remains committed to pursuing justice on behalf of the victim and her family. Domestic violence often escalates with tragic consequences, and anyone experiencing abuse should seek help before it is too late. In an emergency, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24 hours a day at (800) 799-7233,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.

The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office represents the People. We are committed to achieving justice and following the laws of the State of Michigan. All individuals who are accused of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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