In a shocking incident, a 72-year-old jewelry store owner was brutally murdered in his upscale Detroit home’s basement by two men posing as energy workers. The suspects, clad in high-visibility vests and face masks, were captured on doorbell camera footage outside the Rochester Hills residence on Thursday evening, hours before the gruesome crime took place.
The suspects, claiming to be from DTE Energy, a Detroit-based energy company, told the homeowner they were there to check for gas leaks. The victim, identified as Hussein Murray by Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, was led to the basement by the suspects under the pretense of investigating a supposed gas leak. When Murray failed to return, his wife, who was later found bound with duct tape, assumed he had been kidnapped.
The authorities were alerted to the crime when they discovered Murray’s wife tied up. Upon entering the basement, they found Murray’s lifeless body. The cause of death remains uncertain due to the severity of his injuries. “The injuries were so severe and there was so much blood, we’re not sure if it was a gunshot or blunt force trauma,” Sheriff Bouchard stated.
The suspects, who were unsuccessful in their initial attempt to enter the house on Thursday, returned around noon on Friday and managed to gain access. It remains unclear whether any items were stolen from the residence. Murray, a small business owner, ran a jewelry store in Wayne County.
The police are currently on the lookout for two men, one described as thin and Black, and the other heavier and Latino, who were seen driving a white pick-up truck with orange cones in the truck bed. The suspects are considered dangerous.
Sheriff Bouchard urged residents to be cautious of unexpected visitors claiming to be utility workers seeking access to their homes. DTE Energy also issued a statement advising customers to request identification badges from workers, as all DTE employees carry photo identification. The company expressed its condolences to the victims and hoped for the swift apprehension and prosecution of the perpetrators.