Doorbell footage released shows two suspects posing as energy workers calling a home in an upscale Detroit neighborhood, killing a 72-year-old jewelry store owner in his basement and duct-taping his wife. It is shown rolled up.
Chilling footage released by police shows men wearing high-vis vests and face masks standing outside a Rochester Hills home at around 10pm on Thursday, hours before the brutal killings. It is said that it is reflected in the image.
“We're DTE. We're checking for gas leaks,” one of the men says before showing a clipboard to the camera, while the other suspect appears to be keeping watch. DTE Energy is an energy company based in Detroit, Michigan.
In an X post Saturday, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard identified the victim as Hussein Murray.
He also said Murray's wife was hospitalized after the attack but was later released from the hospital.
Police said the suspects were unable to gain entry Thursday and returned around noon Friday to break into a home in the 3700 block of Newcastle.
Murray's wife told police she took the men to the basement of their home to check for a gas leak. When he didn't return, she thought he had been kidnapped.
When police arrived at the scene, they found Murray's wife bound with duct tape. Officers then went to the basement where they discovered his body.
Police said they do not know how the 72-year-old man died due to the “tragic nature of his injuries”.
“Frankly, there was so much blood that we don't know what caused it,” Sheriff Bouchard said. fox 2 detroit. “We don't know if it was some type of gunshot trauma or blunt force trauma. We don't know.”
“They said there was a gas leak, so she let them in and her husband went downstairs with her to see if there was a gas leak and where it was. And she never saw him again.” said Bouchard.
It is unclear whether any items were stolen from the home. Murray owned a jewelry store in Wayne County.
Police said they were searching for two men who were driving a white pickup truck with orange corn in the bed.
One was described as thin and black, and the other was described as stocky and Latino.
Police say the two should be considered dangerous.
“When people are small business owners, they are often targeted for assets and cash to take home,” Bouchard said. “We've seen that in some high-end thefts, so we're looking at that possibility as well.”
Police released a screenshot of the suspect who called the door Thursday.
“This is a photo of one of the murder suspects,” police wrote on Facebook. “Even if they're trying to hide their face and identity, if you know this person, you'll know them even if they're wearing a mask. There's also a potential reward.”
Bouchard urged residents to be wary of people suddenly showing up at their homes claiming to be seeking access from utility companies or other businesses.
DTE echoed those warnings in a statement, noting that DTE employees carry photo ID at all times and advising customers to request ID badges from employees who call their homes. .
“Our hearts go out to the victims of this horrific and tragic incident, and we hope the perpetrators are quickly apprehended and brought to justice,” the energy company's statement read in part on Fox 2. It has been reported.
“Please note that we make every effort to proactively contact you, whether by phone call from our call center or via email or text message, before DTE arrives at your home for a service visit. Important: We encourage customers to request to see an identification badge before allowing access to their property.
“If a customer wishes to verify the identity of an employee or verify that the vehicle is an authorized company vehicle, please call DTE Customer Service at 800-477-4747 to verify the legitimacy of the visit. You must.”
