Man Accused of Raping Teen Now Charged With Her Murder

A man charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old Michigan girl is now accused of killing her while free on bond, preventing her from testifying in the rape case. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker says two men are facing charges connected to the death of Mujey Dumbuya. Her partially clothed body was found in January in woods about 50 miles from her Grand Rapids home. Her cause of death was listed as "asphyxia, including strangulation" on the death certificate. The man accused of rape, Quinn James, is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and other crimes, the AP reports. The 42-year-old is accused of sexually assaulting Mujey last summer and then killing her while he was free on a $100,000 cash bond.

Dumbuya went to police in November saying she had been repeatedly raped by James, her boyfriend's uncle. She was due to testify against him this month. James' co-defendant, Gerald Bennett, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Police believe James gave him a vehicle in return for help with the murder and disposal of the body. Kentwood District Judge William Kelly had wide discretion to set the amount of James' bond with the third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge, which pertains to the sexual assault of a minor. Authorities picked him up on Feb. 1 on an unrelated 2014 sexual assault charge and the bond in the case involving Mujey was increased to $250,000 after she died. "When I set the $100,000 bond, Mujey was alive," Kelly said last month.

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