A 25-year-old Detroit man’s is charged with killing a man who paid him with marijuana for sexual favors.
Andrew Watts of Redford and Detroit (pictured above), is charged with first-degree murder for shooting Amir Hudson, 36 (pictured below), once in the head a year ago in the victim’s home.
His jury trial began Wednesday with opening statements by attorneys in front of Judge James Biernat in Macomb County Circuit Court.
Assistant Prosecutor Sunita Doddamani said Watts was “rattled” about his relationship with Hudson, a Philadelphia native and former college football player who paid him in “weed” for sexual acts.
“Andrew Watts considered himself a Christian,” Doddamni said. “He believed what he was doing was shameful … even though he did them consensually.”
Doddamani said Watts planned the murder, which took place the early morning hours of Oct. 27, 2014. She said that was demonstrated by the fact he waited until Hudson fell asleep on his couch, retrieved Hudson’s 45-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun from underneath the couch and used a “throw pillow” to muffle the gunshot noise before shooting him in the head.
In a statement Watts told police, “It’s been on my mind to shoot him a lot, Thoughts started coming to me. I had to refrain from shooting him” previously.
In the minutes after murdering Hudson, Watts stole items, including another handgun and video games, and threw the murder weapon in the trash bin at a car wash, she said, then got a ride back to a Detroit home where he sometimes lived. Hudson’s blood was found on clothes he placed in an outdoor garbage container at the home.
Detectives connected Watts to Hudson by the pair’s telephone contacts.
Watts’ defense attorney said his client did not premeditate the murder but rather was upset after he performed oral sex on Hudson for the first time after Hudson had performed oral sex on him in prior encounters.
“He didn’t want to do it,” his attorney stated “He was forced.”
Watts' attorney said at time of the incident his client was experiencing mental problems, including hearing voices. Police said he was on medication for mental issues.
Watts will testify in his defense.
“There will be no doubt that after he testifies … Mr. Watts was suffering from some mental issues,” he said.
Mental evaluations of Watts by experts showed he was competent to stand trial and criminally responsible for his actions.
Hudson’s friend, Arthur Lockhart, 27, testified he and another friend of Hudson’s discovered his body the night Oct. 28, 2014, after he was unable to contact him that day and the day before. He said a friend opened the door to Hudson’s house and saw his body.
“He said, ‘Tell me it’s not real,’” Lockhart said.
Lockhart said he looked into the house and saw Hudson’s body “half on the floor and half on the couch.”
“I broke down and then I got myself together and called the Warren Police Department,” he said.
Hudson moved to the Detroit area 13 years ago and worked as a security guard at a Highland Park business, where he met Watts, police said.