DETROIT – Police have released new details about the brutal deaths of three men found beaten in the basement of a Southwest Detroit home.
The victims have been identified as 66-year-old Norman Hamlin, 72-year-old William Barrett, and 65-year-old Mark Barnett.
Detroit Police Assistant Chief Charles Fitzgerald said all three suffered blunt force trauma, with two also sustaining stab wounds.
“They were left in a basement area covered in old, dirty clothing, and one person was covered in a carpet,” Fitzgerald said.
While Fitzgerald said police had identified a person of interest in the case, police wouldn’t confirm Thursday (Feb. 19) evening whether a suspect had been taken into custody.
A neighbor described Hamlin as a Marine veteran and a good man who struggled with drug addiction.
“He got involved in the wrong way and actually seemed to have set up a safe environment for people to come over and use,” said Joel Bond. ”Of course, as we know, that’s dangerous. You don’t know who’s coming into your house.”
Police responded to the area on Wednesday after Hamlin was reported missing. Hamlin hadn’t been seen since Monday.
A man approached officers claiming he had been attacked at the home the day before and was struck twice in the back of the head with a hammer.
Investigators believe the murders occurred between Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morning.
While a clear motive has not been established, retired Detroit Police Assistant Chief Steve Dolunt suggested the violent nature of the attacks may indicate the killer was known to the victims. Dolunt said investigators are likely identifying those who were close to the three men.
“See who their known associates might be, talk to the people in the area in your precinct, scout cars,” Dolunt said.
Dolunt said the account of the surviving witness and any video footage from the area could be crucial in making an arrest.
“We were out there all night, looking for any kind of evidence we could find, video assets, any kind of technology we could discover to help move things along,” Fitzgerald said.
“Someone knows who this individual is. Maybe not their real name, but their street name, and people are going to come out and say to heck with the no snitch policy. This happened, and we don’t want it to happen in our community again,” Dolunt said.
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