A man from Michigan faces felony murder charges after he and another person reportedly posed as utility workers, leading to the death of a man and the tying up of his wife, as stated by local authorities.
A 37-year-old man from Dearborn, Michigan, named Carlos Jose Hernandez, faces charges of felony murder and two counts of unlawful imprisonment, as stated in a news release from the Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on Sunday.
On Saturday afternoon, Hernandez was stopped and taken into custody in Louisiana, according to a news release from the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office on Sunday. Authorities reported that he was taken into custody without incident in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Saturday.
He was arrested on several armed robbery warrants from Ohio and a homicide warrant from Michigan, as stated in the release.
Authorities have confirmed the identity of the deceased as Hussein Murray, a 72-year-old resident of Rochester Hills, Michigan, according to a Facebook update from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials claim that Hernandez and another unknown individual visited the residence that Murray shared with his spouse on two occasions, first on Thursday and then again on Friday.
In both instances, authorities reported that the individuals pretended to be employees of DTE, a Detroit energy company, and asserted they were present to check on a gas leak. On Thursday, Murray and his wife refused entry to the two men, as reported by the Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Upon their return on Friday, Murray “signed a document allegedly from DTE and guided the defendant to the basement,” as stated in the release.
The two men went back upstairs and inquired with Murray’s wife about the location of the money and jewelry, according to the release. According to the release, she was restrained with duct tape on her wrists and ankles, struck in the face, and had her phone and watch taken before the assailants left in a truck marked with a DTE sign.
Murray’s wife contacted 911, expressing her concern that her husband might have been abducted, as reported by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecuting attorney’s office reported that Murray’s body was found in the basement, with duct tape securing his wrists and ankles.
“Because of the gruesome nature of the injuries, it was not immediately clear if he had been shot or bludgeoned to death,” the sheriff’s office said.
Officials are still looking for the second suspect, urging the community to provide any tips they may have.
“This was a gruesome attack on an elderly couple in their home,” said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald in the release. “I have authorized the highest charge which carries a mandatory life without parole sentence for this brutal crime. My office will work diligently to ensure that this individual is held accountable and that the public is safe from violent predators.”
The Oakland County Medical Examiner determined on Saturday that Murray’s death was a homicide, as reported by the sheriff’s office. The sheriff reported that his wife was hospitalized after the incident but has now been released.
On Friday, the sheriff’s office released a doorbell camera video showing one of the suspects in a respirator mask, claiming to be a DTE Energy worker alongside another man, as they searched for gas leaks.
Authorities are looking into whether any items were stolen from the residence.
“One way or another we will find you,” the sheriff said in a post on Facebook. Hernandez is currently being held at the Caddo Correctional Center, jail records show.
A representative from the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office informed CNN that if Hernandez decides to forgo his extradition hearing, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office will take him back to Michigan. If not, a hearing for extradition will be necessary to bring him back to Michigan.