A case that was close to being overlooked as an unexplained infant death has become a murder prosecution after the findings of Patrick Cho, a Korean American medical examiner, revealed critical evidence two years later. Prosecutors had first charged the father only with child abuse, but added a murder count based on Cho’s autopsy results.
The Bay County Prosecutor’s Office in Michigan recently charged Zachary Touchtone with second-degree murder, in addition to the existing first-degree child abuse charge involving his 5-month-old son, Jack Bills. The infant had been found dead without a clear cause at the time.
During a preliminary hearing on October 30 at the 74th Circuit Court in Michigan, prosecutors stated that Cho’s autopsy findings were the basis for adding the murder charge.
Cho concluded the death was “homicide caused by head trauma.” He reported that brain hemorrhages occurred “within the maximum 48 hours before death,” saying this pattern “results from strong external force and is highly unlikely to appear from natural or medical causes.”
Cho is a forensic pathologist with more than 15 years of experience. After graduating from Temple University School of Medicine in 2000, he worked at the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office and now serves at the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office. He has also participated in major Michigan cases, including a 2023 homicide in which a victim was stabbed 73 times and a 2022 fatal arson case.
The incident occurred on December 20, 2023. At 3:45 p.m., Touchtone’s wife called 911 from her workplace, reporting that her son was not breathing. Investigators later confirmed that Touchtone, who was home with the child, called his wife before calling 911. The infant was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead at 4:50 p.m..
Touchtone told police he fed the baby formula, placed him in a rocking chair in the living room, and stepped away for about 5 minutes to do housework. When he returned, he said the infant was limp, and when he attempted to clear the airway, mucus and formula came out.
Investigators found several inconsistencies. When officers raised the possibility of trauma, Touchtone strongly denied ever using force. His wife’s initial statement — “Touchtone was a good father” — was later judged unreliable in a polygraph assessment.
Police documents noted that Touchtone appeared “so calm that it was difficult to believe he had just lost a child,” while his wife was described as so distraught that she vomited and could not reenter the hospital.
Touchtone eventually made a statement acknowledging his actions. He said he had been “too tired,” and that this “ultimately led to his son’s death.” He admitted he had “thrown the baby a bit too hard,” heard a “thud,” and said the child cried loudly before becoming quiet. He said he did not take any further action afterward.
Touchtone is currently held at the Bay County Jail, and a trial date has not yet been set.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
