Cousin who dumped Eastpointe teen's body in dumpster gets long prison sentence

EASTPOINTE, Michigan. – The man who admitted to dumping the body of his cousin, Eastpointe teenager Zion Foster, in a dumpster has been sentenced to decades in prison.

Jaylin Brazier was convicted last month of Foster's murder. The jury deliberated less than an hour before returning with a guilty plea.

He returned to court on Monday June 3, 2024 to hear his sentence.

“The defendant is sentenced to 38 to 90 years in prison, with a consecutive term of 5 to 10 years for the second count, with credit for 356 days served,” Judge Donald Knapp said.

Brazier initially lied to authorities, saying he never saw Foster the night she disappeared. He later changed his story, saying his cousin stopped breathing while they smoked marijuana.

He claims Foster died suddenly, so he panicked and drove her body to a dumpster in Highland Park.

Brazier was accused of lying to authorities during their investigation. He accepted a plea deal and was sentenced in 2022 to 23 months to 4 years in prison. He was released after 10 months.

Authorities conducted several searches for Foster's body, but she was never found. Wayne County prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in June 2023, saying Foster's body was not necessary to the case.