8-year-old ‘talking back’ shot in head, MI officials say. Now, brother sentenced

A man has been sentenced in the shooting death of his 8-year-old sister, who he said was “talking back,” according to Michigan officials and news reports.

In April, 24-year-old Gyasi Stribling was convicted of first-degree murder after his younger sister, Bailei Singleton, was fatally shot in January 2021, McClatchy News reported.

Now, Stribling has been ordered to serve 40 to 60 years in prison, according to WDIV. The sentencing falls short of the maximum, as he faced life in prison, WWJ reported.

“Bailei Singleton should still be here with us today,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said when Stribling was convicted. “Her murder was a tragedy for her family. It’s unconscionable that anyone, let alone an 8 year old child, could be murdered by a relative and in their own home over the slightest of disagreements.”

McDonald said the 8-year-old girl was shot in the head in the living room of her home when she was “talking back” to Stribling.

When interviewed by police, Stribling tried to deceive the officers, telling them his sister had been shot during a robbery, according to The Detroit News. Two witnesses, however, refuted his story.

In a briefing after the shooting, Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren called Stribling’s alleged actions “heinous” and “disturbing,” according to WJBK.

Southfield is a northwest suburb of Detroit, and a roughly 15-mile drive from the city’s downtown.

This story was originally published June 2, 2025 at 9:05 AM with the headline "8-year-old ‘talking back’ shot in head, MI officials say. Now, brother sentenced."