DETROIT – Four suspects have been arrested and charged in connection to the deadly stabbings at a house which was set fire last week in the 13000 block of Bentler Street on Detroit's west side.
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Firefighters found three stabbing victims in the home when they responded to the fire on Feb. 10. Two were found dead in the basement and a third victim was clinging to life on the first floor. He later died on the way to the hospital.
Police say the suspects -- 19-year-old Rayshawn Johnson, 19-year-old Keshon Lake, 20-year-old Larry Johnson and 19-year-old Tenisha Jackson -- all face three counts of 1st degree murder, two counts of armed robbery and one count of arson.
Larry Johnson faces an additional felony firearm charge and a possession of heroin charge. He and Jackson were arrested Feb. 11 at a home on Virgil in Redford Township after officers found one of the victims' vehicles parked unattended on the street. The other two suspects were arrested the next day.
A probable cause hearing in the case is scheduled for Thursday in Detroit District Court.
Police say they set fire to the home to cover up evidence in the murders of 24-year-old Michael Hoots, of Livonia, 51-year-old Lawrence Bowman and his son, 26-year-old Nicholas Bowman. The Bowmans lived at the home.
The medical examiner's office said the elder Bowman was stabbed multiple times and died from a gunshot to the head. Nicholas Bowman and Hoots were stabbed to death. Police call the nature of the wounds "horrific" and some of them "appeared to be torture wounds."
After firefighters drenched the burning home, about 18 inches of water had to be pumped out of the basement to allow detectives access to two of the victims.
Detroit police say a newly formed homicide task force of Detroit officers, Michigan State Police officers and ATF agents helped make the arrests within 30 hours of when their investigation began.