Detroit serial killer case draws attention to vacant homes

DETROIT – In the midst of a serial killer case in Detroit, securing abandoned homes has become a priority.

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Detroiters are working with the city six days a week to help board up vacant homes. Women's bodies were found in empty houses on the city's east side.

"(We're) hoping we don’t find anyone, but if we do, it’ll bring closure," said Crystal Perkins, with the general services department.

Crews have been working to board up and rehab homes since before the serial killer case -- church members from Deliverance and Praise have been doing so since 2017 -- but it became even more of a necessity when bodies were found.

"Neighbors feels more secure if the empty house is boarded," Perkins said.

Learn more about the effort to secure vacant homes in the video above.