Detroit neighborhood wary after body found in basement

21-year-old man's body found in flooded basement on Ohio Street

DETROIT – The body of 21-year-old Demetrius Griffin was found Monday face-down in the flooded basement of a house on Ohio Street.

He had been shot in the shoulder. Detroit's dive team had the challenging task of getting his water-logged remains out. Local 4 is told it appears Griffin's body had been in the flooded basement for quite some time.

"That's scary to me because I'm home every night ... and I didn't notice anything in there," said a neighbor.

The neighbor calls the people living on Ohio Street her family. She grew up on the street, played on it but won't allow her kids to do the same.

There was a murder four years ago outside the same home where Griffin's body was found. There was a shooting nearby last week. Police are tracking a blood trail to an area near the house.

"There are five right here in this immediate area and all total around here there are about 23 houses," said Ted Larkins, who lives nearby.

Neighbors have asked Local 4 to contact the mayor's office for help. They are surrounded by vacant homes and have been afraid of those homes bringing deadly crime to where they live.

"Maybe they'll understand that the downtown is coming along, I know Ilitch is doing his stuff down there, but I think we need a lot out here in the community, too," said Larkins.


About the Author:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.