Convictions overturned: Saginaw man found guilty of killing mother, younger sister awaits new trial

SAGINAW, MI — Ten years ago, Saginaw's Stephon L. Roby represented himself at trial on charges that he killed his mother and younger sister. Jurors found him guilty of the double-murder and a judge subsequently sentenced him to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

With an appellate court having recently overturned the convictions on the basis the trial was unfair, Roby is back in the Saginaw County Jail awaiting a new trial.

A three-judge Michigan Court of Appeals in June issued a 20-page opinion vacating Roby's convictions and remanding his case to the lower court for a new trial, citing "cumulative errors [that] deprived defendant of a fair trial."

Presiding Saginaw County Circuit Judge Fred L. Borchard's errors included allowing jurors to hear incriminating statements Roby made to police after being denied his right to an attorney, hearsay evidence, and references to Roby's prior crimes. The judges also found Roby established some evidence another culprit may have been involved, whom police did not investigate.{/p/p} Roby, who turned 33 on Nov. 1, was transferred from the Michigan Department of Corrections to the jail on Nov. 13.

During Roby's December 2014 trial, prosecutors argued he shot and killed his mother, Leigh A. King, and 11-year-old sister, Sharleea A. King, inside their home at 208 Hess St. on the morning of March 6, 2013.

Leigh King, 42, suffered two fatal gunshot wounds to the back of her head. Her daughter, a sixth grader at Francis Reh Academy, sustained two gunshot wounds to her face before suffering a third wound to the side of her head.

Roby called 911 the afternoon of March 6, telling a dispatcher somebody had broken into his home and killed his mother and sister. Roby said he left the house that morning to visit Delta College and get a tattoo.

Sharleea's best friend testified she was in the King house days before the deaths and said she heard Roby threaten to kill them and burn their house down after Sharleea found a gun in his bedroom and gave it to their mother.

Saginaw Police Detective Matthew Gerow testified he believed Roby shot his mother as she slept then shot his sister before leaving the house. Roby returned and found his sister on his mother's bed instead of upstairs, so he shot her one last time to ensure her death, Gerow testified he believed.

Gerow was able to provide his opinion as Roby asked for it during cross-examination. Defense attorneys typically object to such opinions, but with Roby representing himself, he did not.

Throughout the trial, Roby wore an electric "stun vest" after he was found with multiple "shanks" in his jail cell. Roby opted to wear the vest rather than shackles.

The jury deliberated for about a half-hour before finding Roby guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and four firearm charges. Saginaw County Circuit Judge Fred L. Borchard in January 2015 sentenced Roby to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

"You're going to spend the rest of your natural life in prison, and hopefully one day you'll think about that," Borchard told him at the time.

Roby appealed the verdicts.

Still, the appellate court found prosecutor's case against Roby to be "strongly incriminating" even without the impermissible evidence.

Saginaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Blair N. Stevenson said the plan is for his office to retry Roby. A trial is scheduled to begin before Circuit Judge Andre R. Borrello on June 3.

Roby was his mother's only son. Leigh King enjoyed cooking and styling hair, according to her obituary.

"Leigh Andrea loved spending time with friends and family," her obituary states. "Always the one to entertain, she was the life of the party. Gone but not forgotten, her presence will be missed by all who knew and love her."

Sharleea likewise cherished spending time with loved ones.

"Sharleea enjoyed reading and playing with her beloved dog Polo," her obituary states. "Her presence will be truly missed by all who knew and loved her."