A man convicted of second-degree murder in the slaying of 41-year-old Ranae Chupick of Royal Oak in 2011 is making an attempt to take his case to the Michigan Supreme Court.
Records show an application to appeal to Michigan's highest court has been filed by Christopher Hearn, 25.
Hearn, who is serving a sentence of 48-90 years at the Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia, was sentenced on Mar. 28, 2012 after begging his victim's family for forgiveness before Oakland County Chief Circuit Judge Nanci Grant in Pontiac.
In tears, Hearn told Chupick’s mother, Sheila Adams, who was seated in the Pontiac courtroom, that he only remembered bits and pieces of the events of the night of Sept. 18-19.
During the sentencing, Assistant Prosecutor Jason Pernick offered Grant photos of the crime scene. Hearn hung his head low, while Pernick described and Grant reviewed photos that showed excessive brutality — blood-spattered walls, blood-stained carpeting, injuries to Chupick’s face, lacerations on her throat and stab wounds on the victim’s side that penetrated her heart.
“If I was sober and in my right mind, this would have never happened,” said Hearn at the time of his sentencing.
Hearn had earlier pleaded no contest to second-degree murder. His earliest release date is set for Sept. 22, 2059.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
