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Suspect in stabbing death of pizza owner Vitale ordered to stand trial

Posted at 7:12 PM, Nov 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-09 19:13:46-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.  —  A Grand Rapids District Judge has ordered the suspect in the stabbing death of Burton Heights Pizza owner Joey Vitale to stand trial.

Tony Streets Jr., 33, allegedly stabbed Vitale on the night of October 3rd during an argument at the restaurant, 315 Burton St. SW. Vitale was working there at the time. Investigators were told Vitale asked Streets to leave because he allegedly was creating a disturbance, and that’s when Vitale was stabbed. Police said Vitale then tried to drive himself to a hospital, but his car crashed on Wealthy Street near LaGrave Avenue.

Vitale died the next morning.

FOX 17 file image: Joey Vitale with his wife.

On Friday, Judge Jeanine LaVille ordered Streets to stand trial in Kent County Circuit Court on charges of open murder, armed robbery and carjacking.

He allegedly tried to rob someone outside the restaurant and tried to carjack a vehicle in Burton Heights.

A vigil was held in Vitale’s memory on October 4th at Burton Heights Pizza. He was 31 and a married father of two children.