Saginaw Township Man Sentenced for Brother’s Murder

A Saginaw Township  man will spend at least 50 years in prison for fatally shooting his brother. Appearing before Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet M. Boes Tuesday, 34-year-old Adrian Villanueva pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and nine other felonies, in connection with the death of 25-year-old Jonathan Villanueva. In exchange for the plea, an open count of murder was dismissed. The sentencing agreement calls for Villanueva to serve a minimum of 48 years for the murder charge and the mandatory, consecutive two years in prison for possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Police found the body of Jonathan Villanueva inside the family’s home at 4035 Emerick after a more than four-hour standoff on March 4, 2019. Adrian Villanueva had shot his brother multiple times with multiple family members present, including two young children. He let some of the family members leave unharmed eventually, and later surrendered to police.

In addition to the murder charge, Villanueva pleaded to two counts of unlawful imprisonment and felonious assault, and five counts of felony firearm. He is jailed without bond, and faces sentencing at a later date.