Kalamazoo Teen Found Guilty Of Murder In Red Roof Inn Shooting

A Kalamazoo County jury found a teen guilty of murder on Thursday.

Nasi Ben-Yaisrael had been accused of killing 18-year-old DeShontae Ellis, at the Red Roof Inn in Oshtemo Township in January of this year. Ellis had been shot in the side while attempting to break up a fight between teenage girls, which had broken out in the parking lot of the hotel where a party was being held.

MLive reports that Ben-Yaisrael’s lawyer attempted to show there was reasonable doubt that his client was the shooter, but jurors weren’t convinced.

At sentencing October 31, Ben-Yaisrael faces up to life in prison on first-degree murder and felony firearm convictions.