Prosecutor: Sugrim 'pure evil' killer

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - Besham Brian Sugrim, police say, brutally murdered a Kalamazoo prostitute in 2003, then confessed the crime to his wife - and told her he killed the prostitute because she reminded him of her.

More than eight years later, his murder trial for the death of Linda Gibson is underway after a jury was seated Tuesday.

The prosecutor said Sugirm's wife, Bernadette, could not come forward with the information until he was in jail because she feared for her life.

In his opening statement, Kalamazoo County Assistant Prosecutor Stuart Fenton told jurors they should expect to hear lengthy testimony form Bernadette. The testimony will detail the level of abuse and torture she and the family's two children endured under the wrath of what he called an evil tyrant, said Fenton.

Besham Sugrim was painted by prosecutors as the Alpha male, a controlling, manipulative and violent man. Fenton told the jury Sugrim was "pure evil," and said Sugrim's rage eventually built to Gibson's violent death.

"So when you look really closely at this case, and you will you will know that there wasn't just one victim here," Fenton said. "It wasn't just Linda Gibson. It was also Bernadette Sugrim (and the two children.)"

But Sugrim's attorney Robert Champion warned the jury about taking Bernadette's testimony too seriously.

"If what Bernadette Sugrim is saying is true," he told the jury, "she had repeated opportunities you will hear to go to the police and she never did."

24 Hour News 8 will update this story as events develop.