DETROIT – Edward Jones, 61, was found dead Tuesday morning in his apartment when firefighters were called to put out a fire that started on his door. He had been badly beaten, but not burned, police said.
The crime Robert Yarborough can't believe happened only three doors down from his Detroit home at the Le Chateau Apartments.
"I woke up to a phone call around 5 a.m., it was a friend telling me my apartment was on the news," Yarborough said. "This is just shocking because I see the guy every once in a while, he keeps to himself, and it just happened so close to where I live. It could have happened to anyone."
Katrina Kyser also saw the coverage on the news. Her uncle lives at the complex and she immediately went to check on him.
"It looked like his apartment and I was so worried," Kyser said. "I am so glad he's OK, but so sad that this happened to someone else."
An autopsy will be done to determine whether Jones died before the fire or from smoke inhalation.
He was an Army veteran and grandfather to four.
Jones' family members did not want to speak on camera, but told Local 4 he didn't have any enemies, loved his grandchildren and was the nicest man anyone would ever meet.
Homicide investigators tell Local 4 Jones has a girlfriend who's currently hospitalized for medical issues. They plan on questioning her to determine if she knows who could have done this.