Michigan man charged with first-degree murder in case of missing Windsor woman

A Michigan man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with his estranged wife who has been missing for nearly two weeks, Windsor police said Tuesday.

Brian Aaron Marbury, 45, was arrested near the Windsor-Detroit tunnel around 9 p.m. Monday night, police said in a statement Tuesday.

Police said Windsor woman Sahra Bulle, 36, was last seen May 26. 

"Though the Windsor Police's Major Crimes Unit continues to search for Bulle, significant evidence enabled investigators to obtain a warrant for Marbury's arrest," police said. 

Investigators continue to looking for information leading to Bulle's whereabouts, officers added. 

According to missing persons posters put up around downtown, Bulle was a University of Windsor student. Her mother, Fartumo Kusow put out a plea on social media for people to help find her daughter.

Hiatus House calling for femicide to be recognized as an epidemic

Hiatus House executive director Sylvia Guenther said domestic violence is a growing problem in the community. 

"We know that one in three women statistically have experienced some form of intimate partner violence or domestic violence in their lifetime," she said. "It's not a situation that's getting better as time goes on. We're seeing more extreme cases of violence and as we just heard there was this terrible loss in our community."

Hiatus House is a 24-hour crisis centre for people experiencing gender-based domestic or intimate partner violence. They operate a crisis phone line and a 42-bed shelter. 

Guenther said generally speaking, the most vulnerable time for women in violent relationships is when they decide to make a change. Hiatus House works with them to identify the threats and risks, and how to minimize those threats. 

"We will continue to do our part to make sure that we help women as best we can and ... to make sure that we can identify … gender based violence as an epidemic so that we can make this different for women in the future."

More awareness needed for missing persons reports

Guenther said the community needs to treat missing persons reports urgently — a mission the Black and Missing Foundation was founded around.

"There are so many cases that really slip through the cracks or they just don't have enough resources dedicated to finding them," said co-founder Derrica Wilson. 

The Black and Missing Foundation works to help publicize the disappearances of Black people and people of colour across the United States — which often don't attract the same law enforcement and media attention — in hopes of bringing them home safely. 

Wilson said Bulle's mother reached out to them and they connected with her on Monday — only shortly before Windsor police would report Bulle's estranged husband was charged with first-degree murder. 

"It's really hard for any family to be able to deal with something like this," Wilson said. "Even for our organization — once we connect with these families they become part of our family and hearing that news less than 24 hours after connecting (with) her — it's really sad that that's the outcome from this case."

Windsor police say no additional information will be released "to protect the integrity of the investigation" but ask anyone with information to contact the department's Major Crimes Unit. More information is expected Wednesday. 

The Hiatus House 24/7 Helpline can be reached at 519-252-7781 and more information is available online at hiatushouse.com.