By Sara Ruberg
Authorities in Michigan reported that two men impersonating utility workers in search of a gas leak fatally attacked a man and restrained his wife with duct tape after gaining entry to their home in an upscale suburb of Detroit on Friday.
One suspect, 37-year-old Carlos Jose Hernandez from Dearborn, Michigan, was apprehended by law enforcement in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Saturday, according to a statement from the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office. The second suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, was caught and arrested in Plymouth Township, Michigan, on Monday, as per a Facebook update by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Victim Hussein Murray, a 72-year-old business owner, was killed during the incident. His 72-year-old wife was briefly hospitalized and later discharged, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The couple’s phone and smartwatch were stolen during the crime, as noted by Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald.
Officials reported that the two intruders had initially attempted to gain entry to the couple’s residence in Rochester Hills, Michigan, around 10 p.m. Thursday, but were refused entry. They indicated they would return in the morning, which they subsequently did, McDonald stated.
Sheriff’s office footage from the couple’s Ring camera captured a man, believed to be Hernandez, at their front door wearing a yellow vest and mask while holding a clipboard. The second man, also donned in a yellow vest, is seen turned away from the camera.
In the recorded video, the man identified as Hernandez claims they are with DTE, a Detroit-based energy company, and displays a form bearing the DTE logo on his clipboard.
“We’re here to check for gas leaks,” he states in the video.
When the men returned around 10 a.m. Friday, Murray escorted them to the basement to investigate after signing a document, as per a news release from the Oakland County prosecutor’s office. The two men then proceeded upstairs alone and inquired of Murray’s wife regarding the location of money and jewelry, prosecutors noted.
The assailants restrained the woman’s wrists and ankles with duct tape, and Hernandez struck her in the face when she began to scream, according to McDonald. After stealing her watch and phone, the men fled in a white pickup truck bearing the DTE logo. The woman managed to free herself enough to call for help, authorities reported.
Murray was discovered deceased in the basement, his wrists and ankles bound with duct tape, according to McDonald. The sheriff’s office stated that it was uncertain whether he had been shot or beaten to death due to his “gruesome” injuries.
The police initiated a search and shared the Ring camera footage to assist in identifying the suspects. Hernandez’s vehicle was subsequently spotted heading south on Interstate 49 from Arkansas, leading to his arrest in Shreveport, according to law enforcement in Louisiana.
Hernandez faces charges of felony murder and two counts of unlawful imprisonment. Additionally, he was wanted on separate armed robbery warrants issued in Ohio, as indicated by the police. If convicted of felony murder, he could receive a mandatory life sentence, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The second suspect is expected to face charges in the coming days.
DTE Energy stated in a news release that it is unusual for a DTE employee to need to enter a customer’s home, advising customers to request employees present their identification badges with photographs. The company indicated it typically tries to notify customers prior to making home visits.
