GUILTY MI - Paul Monchnik, 91, WWII vet, beaten, set ablaze, Detroit, 23 Nov 2015

A suspicious house fire turned into a homicide investigation early Monday morning when Detroit Police determined the 91-year-old man found dead in the home had been beaten and doused with gasoline by a suspect in an attempt to cover his tracks.

The suspect is described as black, in his early 20s, 5'9, with a medium complexion. He was last seen wearing a red or orange skull cap, with a grey hoodie and University of Michigan basketball pants. The stolen van's license plate is "CNU1721."

http://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...man-91-beaten-set-fire-detroit-home/76256496/

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Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said the word "heinous" didn't begin to describe the killing of 91-year-old Paul Monchnik...

The level of sadism increased with details revealed in a court Tuesday. Assistant Wayne County Medical Examiner Dr. Kilak Kesha said the autopsy showed Monchnik had 1/5 a cup of a flammable liquid, possibly gasoline he was force-fed, in his stomach at the time of death...

It's believed 17-year-old neighbor George R. Steward killed Monchnik and started the fire to destroy the evidence.

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Assistant Wayne County medical examiner Kilak Kesha testified Tuesday during 17-year-old George Stewart IV’s preliminary examination, before a judge ordered a trial in Wayne County Circuit Court.

Stewart is charged with first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder and arson in the Nov. 23 slaying of Paul Monchnik, who was discovered with severe burns and a head injury at his burning house on Bentler Street.

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The Monchnik family said they felt a sense of closure to the death of 91-year-old Paul Monchnik. Wayne Circuit Judge Michael Callahan sentenced George Steward IV, the man convicted in the brutal murder, to 30-60 years in prison.

Steward, 18, of Detroit, pleaded guilty earlier this month to second-degree murder.

Authorities say Steward beat Monchnik to death, and then doused him with gasoline before setting him on fire last November. Steward lived next door to Monchnik with his grandfather, family members say. His motive is unknown.

During Friday’s sentencing, Steward apologized to the Monchnik family and said he was “remorseful.”

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Tyrone Davison, a Steward family friend, said the family wants to appeal the sentence.

“It’s an unfortunate situation on both sides,” he said. “I think it’s more to the story than what’s been told.”

Scott Monchnik described his father as a “good and gentle man” who had hoped to live to see 100 years old.

“This man (Steward) has created a hole in all of us that is filled with anger and hatred, fear and loss,” Monchnik said. “You have taken something that was not yours to take.”

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