Walled Lake Youth, 15, Charged in Stabbing Death

The 15-year-old Walled Lake Central High School student stood stoic in chains when he was charged today in juvenile court with open murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in the stabbing death of

Both families declined comment at Oakland County Circuit Court as the case was assigned to be heard June 14. Until then, the suspect will remain at Children’s Village in Pontiac.

Rickman of a stab wound to the stomach, according to the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office. A small gathering of teenagers at a home in the 7300 block of Rafford Saturday led to a fight out on to the street, according to West Bloomfield Police Lt. Tim Diamond. Rickman left the house,  made it to the street when the suspect chased and stabbed him once with a kitchen knife.

Police arrrested the suspect at the Rafford house. Diamond noted that the home belonged to a third party and that he was unsure if alcohol was involved.

The families stood on opposite sides of the small hearing room with sheriff’s deputies between them. When the victim’s name was mentioned for the first time by Referee David Barnes, a member of the family cried out for consolation.

Barnes established that the suspect had lived in Walled Lake with his stepfather, mother, and brother for one year. Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor Gregory Townsend cited witness accounts that the suspect had allegedly made violent threats previously in the area. Rickman’s family members continued to file into the room during the hearing and were asked to leave separately from the suspect’s family.

After a woman claiming to be the suspect’s mother made a remark to Barnes that her son “was not supposed to be there” and that she had “never met (Rickman’s) parents,” Barnes decided to disallow  bail or bond before the preliminary exam next week in front of Family Division Judge Cheryl Matthews.

According to the Oakland County prosecutor’s office, a jury trial will be set and the judge will be granted discretion to charge the suspect as a minor or as an adult.

Correction: The suspect has been charged under "designated" status, which indicates that the judge has discretion to charge the suspect as a minor or as an adult.