Driver facing additional murder, sexual assault charges in case of dead Roseville woman

Prosecutor: Death of woman found in suspect's stolen pickup truck was likely strangulation

Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido said the death of 62-year-old Gabriele Seitz appears to be from strangulation according to preliminary evidence. Nineteen-year-old Stephen Freeman is now charged in her murder.

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 20-year-old man was bound over and charged with additional felonies in the murder case of a woman whose body was later discovered in the trunk of a vehicle driven by the suspect.

Stephen Freeman was remanded to Macomb County Jail while his case was moved to circuit court after a preliminary exam on Thursday. Charges of first-degree premeditated murder, home invasion, and second-degree criminal sexual conduct were added to the list of charges Freeman is facing.

Freeman had already been charged in the death of 62-year-old Gabriele Seitz after he allegedly killed her in October 2022.

According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, Freeman entered the victim's home through a window while she was not home. When she returned, an altercation between the two escalated into a fight that ended with Seitz's death.

Freeman was later caught driving her truck near Hayes and Common Road in Roseville after he struck a semi-truck and fled on foot. When local officers arrived, they located a body in the trunk.

"My office has augmented the charges against Stephen Freeman to reflect the gravity of his alleged actions. We stand resolute in our commitment to seeking truth and accountability. Thank you to the Roseville Police Department and the Michigan State Police for their extensive investigation, " said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.