Suspect in Deontae Mitchell murder in court on other charges

DETROIT (WJBK) - One of the men arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 13-year-old Deontae Mitchell appeared in a Detroit courtroom.

Gregory Walker has yet to be charged for the killing but he's already facing a possible life sentence and pleaded guilty to other charges.

Walker, 45, was led into court Wednesday, accused of violating his probation. Mitchell was abducted outside a party store on the city's east side and his body later found in a field. Gregory Walker was later located in Ohio.

"The allegation from the probation department was that the defendant was considered a suspect in the kidnapping of 13-year-old Deontae Mitchell and had left the state without permission," said Judge Thomas Cameron.

Investigators tracked Walker's phone and found him along with Lillian Roberts at a hotel in Toledo. Both Walker and his female companion are accused of violating their probation. In Walker's case, he was on probation for receiving and concealing a stolen car, as well as being a fourth habitual offender in 2013.

Since then, he had stopped reporting for probation and failed to pay his fees. On this day in court, Walker agreed he's guilty of that and of leaving the state.

"I stopped seeing the probation officer and then not paying the fees but it was due to medical reasons," Walker said. "Half of the time I was barely even walking - I had been shot, half a lung and COPD"

Walker listing off a host of health problems, but that could be the least of his worries. His probation violations are already serious enough to land him in prison for life, something Walker said Wednesday in court that he understood.

Walker's attorney also admitted more very serious charges are likely on the way.

"He definitely understands what could potentially be coming down the road," said his attorney Chris Kessel. "Our biggest focus now is deal with that, which could have much more serious ramifications than the probation violation,"

On Sunday, Ernest Coleman was charged with kidnapping in the Deontae Mitchell case. More charges are expected soon.

"My understanding in speaking with the prosecutor is that in the next day or so any charges will be coming down," Kessel said. "At that point, we'll have a better idea of what we're going up against."

Walker is being held without bond.