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Inset: Afeni Badu Muhammad appearing in court for her probable cause hearing on July 23, 2025 (WDIV). Background: The McDonald’s where Muhammad allegedly fatally stabbed her manager on July 10, 2025 (Google Maps).
New details have emerged in the case of a 26-year-old McDonald’s employee in Michigan who is facing a series of felonies after she allegedly killed her manager and friend, fatally stabbing the 39-year-old woman after the two got into an argument that ended with the victim sending her home from work early.
The defendant, Afeni Badu Muhammad, has been charged with one count each of first-degree murder, carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, and being a habitual offender in the slaying of Jennifer Harris.
Muhammad appeared in court for a probable cause hearing on Wednesday, where additional details about the fatal stabbing were revealed.
According to a report from Detroit NBC affiliate WDIV, the proceedings got off to an interesting start, with Muhammad telling the court that in addition to her legal name, she also goes by “Risen Phoenix.”
When her attorney requested that she be referred to a forensic center for an evaluation of her competency and culpability, Muhammad reportedly interjected, saying she “personally objects to the referral.” Despite the defendant’s objection, the judge ordered the evaluation and scheduled a review hearing in the case for the afternoon of Sept. 3.
As Law&Crime previously reported, officers with the Eastpointe Police Department at about 7:55 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, responded to a McDonald’s in the 17000 block of 9 Mile Road regarding a report of a stabbing and shots being fired.
A subsequent investigation revealed that there had been a “dispute” between Muhammad and Harris, which resulted in the manager sending Muhammad home early. However, a short time later, Muhammad allegedly returned to the restaurant armed with a knife, entered through a back entrance with a “hooded mask over her face” and “proceeded to stab the victim” multiple times, police said.
A customer who was at the drive-thru window during the stabbing was armed with a gun and fired a shot in the air in an attempt to stop the attack.
The suspected assailant attempted to flee the scene, but the witness who fired the shot in the air gave chase and was able to detain the suspect until police arrived a short time later and took her into custody.
The victim was rushed to a local hospital for treatment, but she succumbed to her wounds and was pronounced dead.
Police said Muhammad confessed to the murder following her arrest.
“Muhammad admitted that she intended to kill Harris, and stated that after she was sent home she drove to a nearby park, decided to come back and stab Harris with a knife that she had inside her vehicle,” Eastpointe Police Lt. Alex Holish said during Muhammad’s arraignment earlier this month, per Detroit CBS affiliate WWJ.
Prosecutors described the attack in more detail.
“She produced a weapon that was a knife longer than 3 inches, and she stabbed the victim multiple times, up to possibly as many as 15 times, eventually causing her death,” assistant prosecutor Hengeveld reportedly said during the hearing.
Authorities also said Muhammad was previously convicted in a separate stabbing three years ago, but was given a suspended sentence and one year of probation.
Muhammad also indicated that she had problems at work in videos posted to her Instagram page.
In a video posted on July 8, she is seen wearing her McDonald’s uniform while saying that she was sent home from work early that day and the previous day “by the same person.”
“I’m telling you, she’s a bully,” Muhammad says, apparently speaking about Harris. “This sâ isn’t funny. She needs to understand that just because she’s a mother and has children doesn’t mean she can come in this store disrespecting people â talking to people like everybody is beneath her. She has no respect. And it isn’t funny at all.”
Muhammad claimed Harris accused her of “always snapping at people,” but Muhammad rejected that assertion.
“I tell her, no,” she says in the video. “I make peace; that’s what I’m doing. I’ve been creating peace.”
Muhammad is being held on $25 million bond. A July 30 hearing was removed from the docket after the mental evaluation was scheduled.
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