News Photo by Temi Fadayomi Brad Srebnik and Joshua Wirgau’s defense teams speak during a motion hearing on Wednesday in 88th District Court, with Wirgau watching via videoconference.

ALPENA — Brad Srebnik strangled Alpena teenager Brynn Bills to death, prosecutors argued in front of 88th District Court Judge Alan M. Curtis on Wednesday during the last motion hearing before an upcoming preliminary examination for Srebnik and Joshua Wirgau.

This accusation was part of one of the six motions brought forth during a motion hearing, where the prosecution and defense got the opportunity to make final requests before a preliminary examination scheduled for next month.

For the motion, the prosecution wished to include a domestic assault charge from February 2021 against Srebnik as evidence in the argument that Srebnik killed both Alpena woman Abby Hill and Bills.

Srebnik and Wirgau are accused in the 2021 deaths of Bills and Hill. Both men are currently serving two-year prison sentences on weapons charges in a separate case.

A preliminary examination for the two men is slated to begin June 5.

In the case of Hill, who was shot in the head — according to the prosecution — the prosecution argued Wednesday that the domestic abuse incidents are relevant to her death since they demonstrate a pattern and history of violence against significant others, and said Srebnik and Hill were in a relationship at the time of her death.

In the case of Bills, the prosecution pointed out that the domestic abuse incidents reveal a history of strangulation. The prosecution also stated that it is their position that Srebnik killed Bills via strangulation.

“People’s position (is) that Srebnik is the murderer of Bills,” Danielle Hagaman-Clark, of the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, said when specifying her motion to Curtis “that he strangled her to death.”

The prosecution argued that the domestic violence shows that a pattern of choking is a common method used by Srebnik, giving credence to the idea that he did kill Bills. Curtis granted the motion in the case of Hill’s murder, but denied it in the case of Bills.

Srebnik faces two counts of premeditated murder, weapons charges, and disinterment and mutilation of a body, while Wirgau faces one count of premeditated murder, disinterment, weapons charges, and a count of accessory after the fact to a felony in the deaths of Hill and Bills.

Both men have pleaded not guilty.

Wirgau joined the courtroom via videoconference and was represented by Richard Steiger and Dennis Grenkowicz, who were both present in the courtroom. Srebnik did not appear at the hearing, but was represented by Patrick Cherry, who joined via videoconference, and Devin Pommerenke, who was present in the courtroom.

Despite Srebnik’s absence, his attorneys opted to proceed with the hearing.

The prosecution was handled by Hagaman-Clark, of the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, and Alpena County Prosecutor Cynthia Muszynski.

The prosecution made two additional motions to include evidence. One involves the inclusion of statements made by Hill and the second concerns the inclusion of accusations that Srebnik and Wirgau stole firearms from their significant others. These motions were granted, pending additional information that will be available at the beginning of the preliminary examinations.

The final three motions were made by the defense — two from Srebnik and one from Wirgau.

Wirgau’s motion was to have conversations he had with law enforcement on Oct. 1, 2021, and Oct. 14, 2021, removed from evidence due to proffer agreements he had on both days that claimed that the information wouldn’t be used against him.

This motion will be further discussed and decided on during the upcoming preliminary examination.

Srebnik’s two motions were to have him and Wirgau tried separately and for the courtroom to be closed to the media. Both of these motions were denied.