Detroit Man Pleads Guilty In French Street Artist Slaying

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A young man has pleaded guilty in the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old French street artist during a robbery outside an abandoned Detroit housing project.

The Wayne County prosecutor's office says 18-year-old Jasin Curtis entered the plea Thursday in Wayne County Circuit Court to second-degree murder. A sentencing agreement calls for him to serve 25 to 40 years in prison with two additional years for the use of a firearm during a felony.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 12.

The story made national headlines when 23-year-old Bilal Berreni's body was found July 29, 2013, outside the dilapidated Frederick Douglass Homes — more commonly knows at the Brewster projects. The long vacant housing project has since been demolished.

Berreni, of Paris, had no identification, and it took seven months before police identified him through fingerprints. He died from a gunshot wound to the head.

According to family members, the young artist — who painted large pieces in black and white on buildings — occasionally may have lived as a squatter in vacant structures.

Two other young men, Drequone Rich and Dionte Travis, are charged with first-degree murder in the case. They're scheduled for trial in September. A 14-year-old defendant, whose name has not been made public due to his age, is awaiting a separate trial in juvenile court.

TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.