Suspect arrested for murder of West Bloomfield woman found in burned out car

WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (WJBK) - West Bloomfield police say it was arrested a suspect Monday in the murder of a Diana Pesserl found in a burned out car Friday.

The suspect is 18-year-old Desean Maurice Smith from Detroit who was already being held from an outstanding warrant on a carjacking case from Detroit. 

Smith was arraigned on charges of arson, felony firearm and open murder.  

Another person of interest is a 19-year-old West Bloomfield man that police are talking to in connection to the case.

Pesserl, 31, was found shot in the abdomen early Friday morning. 

Smith, 18 of Detroit, is already being held from an outstanding warrant on a carjacking case from Detroit. 

The suspect will be arraigned within the hour at 48th District Court today. His identity has not been released by police yet.

Her body was found inside a burning car behind the former Pine Lake Elementary School. The West Bloomfield home where police removed large amounts of evidence and a vehicle from Shore Crest Drive near Long Lake is a stone's throw away from where the victim lived.

"To see it happen and to see a mother and her son is without now, it's sad," said a neighbor on Friday. "These are truly bad times we're living in."