MILFORD, Mich. — A 29-year-old Sterling Heights man has now been formally charged with first-degree premeditated murder in the New Year’s Eve killing of a Milford resident, according to the Milford Police Department and the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
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Prosecutors authorized a one-count homicide charge against Matthew Frank Molinaro, stemming from the Dec. 31, 2025 killing of 26-year-old Peyton Bilbia inside his Milford residence.
Investigators say Bilbia was found deceased after Milford police officers were dispatched to a home in the 800 block of East Summit Street at approximately 4:25 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The welfare check was requested by the victim’s girlfriend after she was unable to reach him for an extended period of time. Officers forced entry and discovered Bilbia suffering from injuries consistent with a violent attack.
Based on evidence gathered by Milford police detectives, Molinaro emerged as a suspect in the homicide. He was arrested later that night by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team at a club in Royal Oak, authorities confirmed.
On January 4, 2026, Molinaro was formally arraigned in 52-1 District Court before Magistrate Lewis Langham. He was denied bond and remains lodged at the Oakland County Jail, where he will stay pending further court proceedings.
“This incident was not random,” Milford Police Chief Scott Tarasiewicz said previously, noting that investigators believe the victim and the suspect were known to one another. Following the arraignment, Tarasiewicz said he fully supported the charging decision, stating the evidence supports “the harshest of criminal charges.”
Molinaro is currently 29 years old but is set to turn 30 on January 8, 2026. Because he is being held on no bond he’ll be celebrating his Dirty 30 on the floors of the Oakland County Jail — and potentially every birthday that follows — behind bars for his alleged role in the killing.
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