Eastpointe restaurant owner charged in wife's death

The owner of a popular Eastpointe restaurant was arraigned Tuesday in connection with the fatal shooting of his wife.

Joseph Palleschi, 55, was arrested over the weekend after police responded to reports of shots fired and found his 53-year-old wife, Karen, dead of a gunshot wound to the head in their Clinton Township home. The shooting occurred at 2:42 a.m. Saturday, police said.

Joseph Palleschi appears at his arraignment on an open murder charge Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021.

Palleschi, the owner of Villa Restaurant, sat silently with his hands folded while attorney Jeffrey Davis asked 41B District Court Judge Ryan Zemke to waive the formal reading of the open murder charge against his client. A not-guilty plea was entered on Palleschi's behalf.

Davis asked Zemke to give Palleschi bond, saying the businessman and father of three sons is the caretaker of his 88-year-old father, has strong ties to the community and is not a flight risk.

The judge said he wasn't "going to deny bond altogether" but noted the "nature of the offense" in setting Palleschi's bond at $500,000 cash. If Palleschi is released, he would have to wear a GPS tether and be on house arrest, only leaving his home for medical visits.

Palleschi is due back in court at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 2 for a probable cause conference before 41B District Court Judge Sebastian Lucido.

Villa, which specializes in Italian dishes, has been on Gratiot for more than 60 years.

In a statement Sunday on Facebook, Villa managers said the business would be closed through Wednesday due to a "recent tragedy within the family."

"We thank you for your continued patronage and ask that you respect the privacy of the family as we mourn the loss of a loved one," the post read.