close
close

Yiamastaverna

Trusted News & Timely Insights

    • A Rochester Hills man was killed by men posing as utility workers, according to the sheriff
    Suffolk

    A Rochester Hills man was killed by men posing as utility workers, according to the sheriff

    Caradoc Wyn Posted on

    play

    Rochester Hills — Two men posing as DTE Energy workers repairing a gas leak Friday killed a 72-year-old man at his home in Rochester Hills, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.

    The suspects originally entered the home, in the 3700 block of Newcastle Drive, around 9 and 10 p.m. Thursday, but were denied entry, Bouchard said at a news conference Friday afternoon outside the home. They returned Friday morning and were allowed inside, the sheriff said.

    Once inside, the suspects went to the basement along with a man who lived in the apartment, authorities said. A short time later, the suspects came back upstairs and located the man’s wife. They tied her up and bound her hands with tape.

    The suspects then allegedly spent some time searching the house before leaving.

    The woman was able to free herself enough to call 911 shortly after 11 a.m., Bouchard said. She initially believed her husband had been kidnapped, he said. Officers responded quickly to the home in an upscale neighborhood in northwest Rochester Hills. They found the man’s body in the basement.

    The sheriff’s office said it will not release the victims’ names until next of kin are notified.

    The manner of the man’s death remains under investigation, Bouchard said. Because of the gruesome nature of the injuries, it was not immediately clear how he was killed, he said.

    “Honestly, there’s quite a bit of blood, so we’re not sure what the cause of the injuries were,” Bouchard said. “We don’t know yet whether it was a gun or whether it was blunt force trauma.”

    The sheriff said it was not immediately clear whether the suspects stole anything while they were at the home.

    The woman remained hospitalized Friday afternoon, authorities said. Bouchard was unsure whether she had suffered significant physical injuries or was in shock following the traumatic event. She and her husband were the only residents of the home when the suspects arrived, authorities said.

    Bouchard said it appeared the victims were targeted rather than randomly selected. The attack may be related to the victim’s work, which Bouchard described as a “jewel pawn shop” in Wayne County.

    Authorities are asking neighbors for help finding the suspects.

    “We are seeking the public’s help – anyone who saw something, anything,” Bouchard said in a news release. “We could really use all the information you have. If you have a security camera or video from Thursday 8pm to 12pm (Friday) and share it with us, it would be a great help. We’re looking for two men who were driving a white pickup truck with orange cones on the back.

    Authorities described the suspects as a heavyset Hispanic man and a thin black man. They were driving a white pickup truck with some type of DTE marking on it, possibly a magnet, Bouchard said.

    The vehicle may have been damaged, authorities said, and the suspects may have parked it somewhere. Anyone who believes they have encountered this is asked to contact law enforcement.

    DTE Energy issued a statement in response to the incident.

    “Our condolences go out to the victims of this terrible and tragic event and we hope that the perpetrators are quickly caught and brought to justice,” the company said in an emailed statement to The Detroit News.

    DTE said it makes “every effort” to contact customers before they come to their home for a service visit, whether by phone call from the DTE call center, email or text message.

    “DTE employees always carry photo identification,” the company said. “We encourage our customers to show ID before granting access to their property. If customers wish to verify a worker’s identity or confirm that a vehicle is an authorized company vehicle, they should call DTE customer service at 800-477-4747 to confirm the validity of the visit.”

    [email protected]

    @Max_DetroitNews

    Tagged:

    LEAVE A RESPONSE

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Caradoc Wyn
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like

    ads