Dearborn Heights man gets 25 years in strangulation of mother while on probation for assaulting her

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Dearborn Heights man will spend at least 25 years in prison for the murder of his own mother after he pleaded guilty to second degree murder charges last month.

Aaron Samir Akel pleaded guilty on May 20 to second degree murder for the death of his mom, 73-year-old Ibtisam Field. On Wednesday, Akel was sentenced to 25-50 years in prison. 

Authorities said Akel had just been sentenced to three years probation for assault with intent to do great bodily harm and domestic violence in April 2021. That sentencing came after he assaulted his mother in November 2020. 

In the April 2021 sentencing for the original crime, Fields asked for her son to be released and said she wanted him to receive drug and mental health treatment. She also said she wanted to have contact with him, which a judge did not agree to.

Akel was released on probation but a no contact order was in place. When he was released, Akel did not call his probation officer, but the officer was able to track him down and refer him to a facility where he could receive treatment. Officials said Akel did not report to the facility, and the officer was not able to contact him again.

Despite the no-contact order, Fields allowed her son to live with her.

On Tuesday, May 4, 2021, police found Field's body in a bedroom. She had been strangled to death and Akel was arrested at the home.

He was initially charged with first degree murder, which would have meant life in prison if convicted. However, he agreed to plead guilty to second degree murder and will now spend at least 25 years in prison.