Police arrested Daniel Jarrett Dean after Monica Rokita was killed Sunday at the Westland apartment where the couple lived.
WESTLAND, MI — A 20-year-old Westland man has been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of his 18-year-old girlfriend after police said the case appeared to stem from a domestic dispute.
Daniel Jarrett Dean was arraigned by video Tuesday in 18th District Court on one count of premeditated first-degree murder and one count of felony firearm, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. The victim, Monica Rokita, also of Westland, was living with Dean when she was killed Sept. 6. Prosecutors allege Dean shot Rokita multiple times with a rifle before leaving the apartment. The charges are allegations, and Dean is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Westland police were called about 6 p.m. Sunday to an apartment in the 36000 block of Hunter Avenue after a report of a shooting. Officers spoke with witnesses after arriving and were directed to the apartment where the gunfire had occurred. Police found Rokita inside the kitchen and living area with multiple gunshot wounds. Westland Fire Department medics responded and pronounced her dead at the scene.
Police located Dean in the area shortly after the shooting and arrested him. Authorities have not publicly described what happened immediately before the gunfire or released a detailed account of the dispute. Police said in an early statement that the incident appeared to have originated from a domestic dispute.
Dean was held on a $1 million bond following Tuesday’s arraignment, according to the prosecutor’s office. A probable cause conference is scheduled for Sept. 17, followed by a preliminary examination Sept. 24. At a preliminary examination, prosecutors must present enough evidence for a judge to determine whether the case should proceed on the felony charges.
Friends of Rokita told WXYZ-TV that she and Dean had experienced problems in their relationship and had recently reconnected after a separation. Myah Moore, whose younger sister was close friends with Rokita, described Rokita as a young woman with her future ahead of her and said the death had devastated people who knew her.
Moore said Rokita and her younger sister had been close for years, attending school events together, trying to get into the same classes and joining family trips. She said Rokita had become an important part of their family. Friends have also organized fundraising to help Rokita’s family with funeral and memorial expenses.
Rokita was born Feb. 25, 2008, according to information published by Schrader-Howell Funeral Home, which lists her death as Sept. 6, 2026. A fuller obituary had not been published as of Tuesday.
The prosecution is now moving through 18th District Court as investigators continue documenting the circumstances surrounding Rokita’s death. No additional motive beyond the reported domestic dispute has been publicly established, and further evidence is expected to emerge through the court process.
Author note: Last updated September 8, 2026.