MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. – The man accused of shooting and killing a man at a Sterling Heights hotel last February was sentenced on Wednesday after previously pleading no contest to his charges.
Luke James Svacha, 51, of Center Line, will serve 20-35 years in prison for the shooting death of 24-year-old Jajuan Marls at the Extended Stay America hotel in the 33000 block of Van Dyke Avenue.
Police say the shooting happened around 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 1, 2025. When officers arrived at the scene, the suspect had fled and the victim was found dead from a gunshot wound.
An investigation into the suspect led officers to a house in the 8400 block of State Park Street in Center Line, where Svacha allegedly barricaded himself. After hours of negotiations, authorities convinced him to exit the home, and he was taken into custody within 12 hours of the shooting…