Body of brazilian woman on vacation found in roadside ditch in dearborn

CHELSEA, MI – Charges have been announced against a Dearborn man linked to a death investigation spanning multiple counties. On Sunday, June 30, a dead body was discovered by pedestrians in a culvert along a dirt road near the 7700 block of Earhart Road in Northfield Township, Washtenaw County. The victim was identified as Suzan Barbosa-Ferreira, a 42-year-old Brazilian citizen.

Investigators from the Dearborn Police Department, in collaboration with the Northfield Police Department, traced the victim’s last known whereabouts to a Dearborn residence. On July 9, Fareed George Hajjar, a 57-year-old resident of Dearborn, was arrested in connection to the case.

Dearborn Police Commander Timothy McHale stated that the investigation was exhaustive, involving around-the-clock work to develop a person of interest and gather evidence for the prosecutor’s office. Despite some charges being filed, the investigation remains active.

On July 12, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office charged Hajjar with Dead Bodies – Disinterment and Mutilation, and Concealing the Death of an Individual. He was arraigned before Magistrate James Cameron of the 14A-3 District Court in Chelsea with a $2 million bond set. A Probable Cause hearing is scheduled for Thursday, July 25, at 9 a.m.

Northfield Township Police Chief Martin Smith thanked the community for its patience and urged anyone with information to come forward to assist in bringing justice and closure to the victim’s family.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.