Trial Ordered In Dearborn Family Dollar Double Murder

DEARBORN (WWJ) - The man accused of killing two workers at a Dearborn dollar store has been bound over for trial.

Lavere Bryant, 34, is charged with two counts of first degree murder in the July shooting deaths of Family Dollar employees Joseph Orlando and Brenna Machus.

Prosecutors say Bryant also robbed the store, a Family Dollar on Michigan Avenue, from which he'd recently been fired.

Michigan State Police forensic scientist Andrea Young on Friday testified that DNA found on a shopping cart, towels, and in Bryant's car links him to the victims.

Orlando's mother, Cynthia Konkell, spoke with reporters at the courthouse.

"We're just really happy that there was enough evidence to being him to trial so we could get justice for my son, Joe, and for Brenna," Konkell said.

Orlando, 20, had been on the job just five days when he was killed.

Machus, also 20 years old, was kidnapped from the store that night and later killed — her body found two days later in a field about a mile away.

"Why did he have to blow her face off? That's the useless stupid thing, you know, that I didn't understand," said Machus' father, Jamie Machus.

"Fine. Do what you gotta do then drop her off somewhere and, you know, let her live. You don't have to kill her," he said.

Bond was set at $50,000 for Bryant.

He's being held at the Wayne County Jail pending his next court appearance, Friday, Oct. 11.

"I was glad to see that we're being going to court again," said Jamie Machus, "and, eventually, we'll get truth and justice outta this guy yet."