Crime
Five Family Members Found Dead in West Valley City Home in Suspected Homicide
At this time, it remains unclear whether the 17-year-old boy is a suspect or a victim.
Tragedy struck a quiet West Valley City neighborhood on Tuesday when five family members, including three children, were found dead in their home in what police are investigating as a homicide.
The discovery was made at a residence on the 3700 block of Oxford Way in the afternoon, according to Roxeanne Vainuku, a spokeswoman for the West Valley City Police Department.
Concerns arose when a relative of the family attempted to contact a woman living in the home over several days but received no response.
On Monday night, officers conducted a welfare check at the residence but found no signs of an emergency or criminal activity.
The situation escalated when the woman failed to show up for work on Tuesday. Concerned, the relative entered the home through the garage, where she discovered a 17-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound.
Police were called to the scene around 2:10 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers found the injured teenager in the garage. He was promptly transported to a hospital and remains in critical condition with significant injuries.
Inside the home, officers made a grim discovery: the bodies of five family members.
The victims were identified as a 42-year-old man, a 38-year-old woman, an 11-year-old boy, a 9-year-old girl, and a 2-year-old girl.
Police confirmed that all six individuals lived in the home and were part of the same family. Investigators are working to determine the sequence of events that led to the tragedy.
A search warrant has been obtained to further examine the property.
At this time, it remains unclear whether the 17-year-old boy is a suspect or a victim.
Police emphasized that the incident appears to be isolated and assured the public that there are no suspects at large.
The tragedy has left neighbors on the typically tranquil street in shock.
“This is just a total shock. I can’t believe this happened,” said Michael Webster, a neighbor who noted that nothing like this had ever occurred in their area before.
Another neighbor, Tristan Williams, expressed disbelief, saying, “You don’t really realize how real the world can be until it’s close to home.”
Neighbors also noted unusual activity in the days leading up to the discovery, including a family dog that had gone unfed.
As the investigation unfolds, police are focused on piecing together what happened inside the home and determining the circumstances surrounding this devastating incident.
The West Valley City community is reeling from the loss of an entire family and grappling with the unimaginable tragedy that has shaken their sense of safety and peace.
Detroit police have arrested a man in connection with a horrific triple homicide involving the deaths of his ex-girlfriend, her mother, and a 9-year-old child, whose bodies were discovered inside a burned vehicle on the city’s west side early Sunday morning.
Elauntra Sutton, a grieving Detroit resident, identified the victims as her 9-year-old daughter Ayva, her sister Kayda Sutton, and her mother Sandra Davis.
Authorities have confirmed that all three were murdered prior to being set on fire inside the vehicle.
According to investigators, the suspect — who had previously been in a relationship with Kayda Sutton — allegedly shot both Kayda and Sandra, before brutally stabbing 9-year-old Ayva to death.
After committing the murders, the suspect reportedly transported the bodies across town, ultimately setting the vehicle ablaze in the area of Milford and 30th Streets around 5:50 a.m. Sunday.
The Detroit Fire Department responded to reports of a car fire at the location. Once the flames were extinguished, three bodies were discovered inside, severely burned and initially unidentifiable.
Subsequent investigation led police to execute a search warrant at a residence on Detroit’s east side, where they uncovered a homicide scene believed to be where the murders took place.
Inside the home, officers also found a 4-year-old boy, who had been left unattended. He is a relative of the victims and is now in protective custody.
Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison expressed deep concern and outrage over the brutality of the crime. “With a case like this, it really upset me as well, and it upset our community. It can create a sense of fear,” said Bettison. “My homicide detectives worked around the clock along with the Michigan State Police. We utilized all of our assets to bring justice to this case.”
The Detroit Police Department urges anyone with additional information to come forward. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or online at detroitrewardstv.com. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to progress in the investigation.
“We will be relentless in not stopping when something like this happens,” Chief Bettison added. “Our hearts are with the family and this community as we work to ensure justice is served.”