Daniel Sorensen Murder: Where Are Alex Letkemann and JP Orlewicz Now? – Daniel Sorensen, 26, was killed and beheaded on November 7, 2007, by Jean Pierre Orlewicz, a Plymouth Township teenager at the time. The latter was later given a life sentence without the possibility of release.
The subject of “The Thrill of the Kill,” an episode of Investigation Discovery documentary, is Daniel’s murder. If you want to know more about how Daniel Sorensen was killed and where his killer is now, keep reading below.
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Daniel Sorensen’s Cause of Death
In Provo, Utah, Daniel Gene-Vincent Sorensen was born in September 1981. He was, however, a Michigan resident at the time of the incident. The 26-year-old was a hefty guy from a wealthy neighborhood. But he had a hard time getting a job. Despite this, Daniel appeared to have a few close friends and was trying to live his life to the fullest. But in late 2007, everything came to a sudden conclusion.
On the morning of November 8, 2007, a utility team discovered a body in a Northville Township cul-de-sac, wrapped in a blue tarp. When the police arrived at the site, they found the head missing. Daniel’s body was eventually determined to have many stab wounds and to have been set on fire. Later, the 26-year-head old’s was discovered in Michigan’s Rouge River.
Who Killed Daniel Sorensen and Why?
Everyone was startled by the crime’s graphic nature. According to early accounts, Daniel struggled to get employment because of his conviction for having sex with a 14-year-old when he was just 17 years old. The program said the girl’s mother was comfortable with Daniel dating the girl and living with her family. But the mother’s boyfriend compelled her to press charges, which resulted in the conviction.
The authorities discovered through phone records that Jean Pierre “JP” Orlewicz, a young man, was the last person Daniel spoke to. According to the investigation, JP and Daniel were buddies who frequently hung out. Therefore, the cops went to JP’s house. When the tire tread discovered at the crime scene matched his vehicle and had red spots on it despite having just been washed, suspicion fell on him. The police found numerous Drano jars inside.
Furthermore, the shoeprints found where Daniel’s discarded body matched JP’s shoes. The police interviewed Isam Ayyash and Alex Letkemann, two of JP’s pals, as part of their inquiry. Later, the latter admitted what transpired on the evening of November 7, 2007. Alex claimed that he and JP were visiting JP’s grandfather in Canton Township, Michigan, at the time. JP then considered enticing Daniel to the house and killing him there.
That evening, Daniel was on his way to JP’s grandfather’s house to demand money from a friend of JP. Alex, however, insisted that it was only a hoax. He claimed that JP had offered to forgive a $100 debt Alex owed him in exchange for his assistance in clearing up the scene of the incident. Alex, therefore, asserted that JP repeatedly stabbed Daniel before sawing off his head with a hacksaw after slitting his throat. JP already had prepared gloves, trash bags, Drano, and other supplies.
Then, JP burned off Daniel’s hands and feet with a blowtorch to remove the fingerprints. In a later deposition, Isam stated that JP had called the evening of November 7 and requested him to visit his grandfather’s home. Isam was informed that Daniel was there, his head was in a container, and he was covered in a tarp. According to the drama, Isam assisted in loading the body onto the pickup truck out of fear.
Then, JP and Alex walked to the cul-de-sac where Alex had burned the body. They threw the head into the river the following day. The show claims that Alex directed the police there. Later, witnesses asserted that JP had previously discussed killing someone. Another juvenile who knew JP testified that JP had previously spoken about wanting to knife and behead Daniel. Alex also mentioned that JP was angry with Daniel over a $400 debt or a missing handgun.
Where Are JP Orlewicz and Alex Letkemann Now?
In April 2008, Alex Letkemann, who was 18 at the time, pled guilty to second-degree murder and consented to testify against JP. JP took the witness stand the same month during his trial and admitted to killing Daniel. He asserted that it was done in self-defense, nevertheless. JP Orlewicz also said he attempted to burn the fingerprints out of fear that Daniel’s mobsters’ family would pursue him. However, the murder was classified as a thrill killing by the prosecutors.
JP was ultimately determined to have committed criminal murder, first-degree murder, and mutilation. He was 18 years old when he received a life without parole sentence in May 2008. Alex received a sentence of 20 to 30 years in prison. According to prison records, Alex is still detained in the Kinross Correctional Facility in Kincheloe, Michigan. He can be released as early as 2027. JP, however, is incarcerated at the Thumb Correctional Facility in Lapeer, Michigan, where he is completing his term.