BAY CITY, MI — Originally charged with abusing his infant son, a Bay County father is now formally charged with murder in the baby’s death.

An Oct. 30 preliminary examination in the case of Zachary M. Touchtone ended with the defendant bound over to Circuit Court for trial and the prosecution amending their complaint to include a count of second-degree murder. Prosecutors added the charge is based on the testimony of forensic pathologist Dr. Patrick Cho, who performed the autopsy on Touchtone’s son, Jack M. Bills.

Cho determined Jack died from blunt-force trauma to his head. He ruled the baby’s manner of death as homicide.

Prosecutors in August charged Touchtone with first-degree child abuse, nearly two years after Jack’s death.

Defense attorney Jeffrey M. Day disagrees with the additi

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