Overview
- Judge Sabrina Johnson bound Jalen Pendergrass, 24, and his mother, Charla Pendergrass, 49, over for trial on first-degree murder, unlawful imprisonment, and evidence tampering after a preliminary hearing.
- Prosecutors presented more than four hours of testimony, including from an ex-girlfriend who said Jalen Pendergrass shared song lyrics and later described events of the night Thomas disappeared.
- A friend of Charla Pendergrass testified she gave him a sealed plastic tote later found in an SUV in Southfield with Thomas' body inside, and prosecutors said Jalen Pendergrass' DNA was likely on the handles.
- Defense attorneys questioned the ex-girlfriend's credibility and argued the autopsy did not support parts of her account.
- Thomas, 17, was last seen on April 5 and found on April 26, 2025, with an autopsy ruling asphyxia; both defendants were initially charged with second-degree murder in October and remain in custody.