LANSING, Mich. — Earlier this month, Bdour Al Yasari and Jacob Ficher were both charged in the death of Bdour Al-Yasari's husband, Ammar Al Yasari.
Now they are both headed to trial on charges of murder and conspiracy.
They were in Ingham County District Court on Thursday for a preliminary exam, where a judge ruled there was enough evidence to send the case up to circuit court.
"The cause of death was multiple chop wounds," said Dr. Patrick Hansma, the Ingham County Deputy Medical Examiner. "The manner of death is homicide."
Nearly five hours with 10 witnesses painted the play by play of the Feb. 4 murder of Ammar Al Yasari. We heard first from the first officer on the scene at the Al Yasaris' house on Glenberry Drive in Holt.
"She was screaming, 'help me, help me,' and she was telling me that her husband was inside and he needed help," said Jonte Slack, Ingham County Sheriff's Office.
Police testified that when they walked into the house, they saw Ammar Al Yasari lying in a large pool of blood. The cause of death was at least 24 chop wounds to the head with an ax.
Prosecutors brought out pictures and a video of what they believe to be Ficher walking to Bdour's house the day of the murder.
Prosecutors presented text message exchanges between Ficher and Bdour.
"I love you, Jacob Ficher," said the prosecutor, reading one of the exchanges.
"This mother f-- needs to die; see that text?" the prosecutor read.
"Correct, that is what it states," said Ingham County Sheriff's Detective Ryan Cramer.
"And that message was sent from the phone number we identified as Jacob Ficher," said the prosecutor.
On Feb. 6, just two days after the murder, witnesses testified that Ficher was visibly upset at Rocky's Roadhouse in Holt.
They said Ficher told them that he had done something horribly wrong.
"He said I'm the Devil," recalled Sarah Yoder, Rocky's Roadhouse bartender. "There was a time where he just said, he didn't say of the wife and child; he just said, I committed a homicide."
Both Ficher and Al Yasari will be back in court in April. We will keep you updated as we learn more information.
