Man Charged in Macomb Stabbing Returns to Prison to Await June Exam

The Fraser man charged in the of a Macomb Township woman will return to the Michigan Department of Corrections this week to await his June examination.

Clad in the blue uniform of a Macomb County Jail inmate, Joseph Reiner appeared in 41-A District Court today before Judge Matthew Rumora.

Reiner's attorney, Tim Barkovic, requested Ramora discharge the writ against his client that will allow Reiner to be transported back to Jackson Prison from the Macomb County Jail.

"He will be returned to prison," said William Cataldo, chief of homicide in the Macomb County Prosecutor's office. "He is here on a writ and lives in the Macomb County Jail in a holding class. We have no objection to return him to MDOC and re-writ him for (the next court date)."

Reiner will next appear in court on June 9. Cataldo said six witnesses will be brought forward at that time, including Joann Eisenhardt, the victim of the Feb. 23 assault.

Eisenhardt has been hospitalized due to complications from the original assault, but is expected to recover and appear in court on June 9, Cataldo said. 

"She has been in and out of the hospital for the last few weeks," Cataldo said. "We have talked with the family and there have been many issues."

A heart attack prompted Eisenhardt's most recent hospitalization.

Other witnesses for the prosecution include the victim's neighbor, deputies who arrived on the scene, the officer in charge Det. Sgt. Missy Stevens and Hadrian Lewandowski, the owner of the pawn shop at which Reiner pawned jewelry taken from the victim shortly after the assault.

Cataldo said at this point in time, evidence in the case is circumstantial.

"There are no eye witnesses, but we have issues of timing of (Reiner) being in the neighborhood at the time of the attack and at the pawn shop. He pawned items of jewelry within an hour of the assault."

Eisenhardt has been unable to identify Reiner as her assailant, Cataldo said.

DNA tests are being conducted, but Cataldo said results are not expected back before the June court date.