Only one witness testified at the preliminary hearing, but the testimony that witness provided was enough for a judge to move the case against Corey Burt forward on Wednesday.
Burt was arrested shortly after the April 2 murder of Charles Cuti of Nunica. Police believe just hours before the murder Burt and Jaylan Traviss robbed a man in Muskegon Heights, and among other possessions took that man's cell phone.
"They decided they would contact Mr. Cuti using the previous victim's cell phone," testified Muskegon Police Detective Kory Luker. Detective Luker told the judge Burt and Traviss arranged to buy drugs from Cuti outside Sam's Drink All.
The detective says Burt confessed to that plan. Police believe Burt and Traviss had more significant intentions in the works.
"He initially thought they were going to go and purchase the drugs, and then he knew that there was something else that Jaylan had planned," Luker said.
Detectives believe Burt had, at the very least, knowledge a robbery would take place. Prosecutors say Burt was the one who drove to the store that night. Traviss is the person accused of shooting Cuti.
The district judge ruled there was probable cause that Burt participated in the murder and armed robbery, and ordered him bound over for trial in circuit court.
Traviss wasn't found until Wednesday, the same day of Burt's preliminary hearing. Traviss was arrested in Cincinnati, Ohio. Police and prosecutors will now work to move him from a jail in Ohio back to Muskegon County so he, too, can be charged with open murder and armed robbery.