Detroit police: Suspect in beating deaths of 3 men found in basement was on parole

DETROIT (WXYZ) — A suspect has been arrested in connection with three bodies that were found in the basement of a home in Southwest Detroit on Wednesday

The suspect’s name has not yet been released but police say he is a 27-year-old man who was taken into custody Thursday afternoon in the area of W. Vernor and Michigan Avenue.

Investigators also found a vehicle near the suspect’s home related to the crime, which, according to Chief Todd Bettison, contained evidence related to the murders. Police say they were led to the suspect by a tip.

They say he had a connection with the victims. He has a criminal history and was on parole. His past crimes include carjacking, armed robbery, felony firearm and fleeing from police.

Bettison says the murders were an isolated incident and there is no danger to the public.

During an update from police on Thursday, they said all three victims were killed by blunt force trauma. Police also said some of the victims had cuts on their bodies.

The three men have been identified as 72-year-old William Barrett, 66-years-old Norman Hamlin and 65-years-old Mark Barnett.

“It was a brutal scene inside — just awful,” Detroit Police First Assistant Chief Charles Fitzgerald said, adding that he did not want to go into much detail at this time about the crime scene. “The minute you open the door, you could see blood, you could see just a horrific scene.”

On Wednesday afternoon, police were called to the home on Edsel Street, just off of Fort Street near Outer Drive in Southwest Detroit.

Officers were in the area talking to people about a missing person when a man ran up to them and said he had been assaulted inside the home on Edsel the day before. Fitzgerald said the man told police he had been hit with a hammer on the head twice.

Police confirmed that the missing person they were investigating was among the three people who were killed. It’s believed that the three men were killed sometime on Tuesday.

Hamlin was a Marine Corps veteran who served in the Persian Gulf War, according to family. He was the owner of the home.

“Norman was a very good person. He really was,” said Joel Bond, who was friends with Hamlin.

Bond says he grew up with Hamlin and the two played in a band together around Detroit. Bond checks on his brother with special needs across the street from Hamlin’s home.

“My concern has elevated over the last few months, seeing all of the activity that was happening over there,” Bond said

Fitzgerald said the man who owned the home was known to open his home up to a lot of people.

“Unfortunately, there has been some speculation, which I don’t like to get into too much, that drugs were being used at the location,” Fitzgerald said.

Multiple residents also said there had been questionable activity at the home.

“That was happening and myself and other neighbors had the understanding that this could not stand. This won’t last. Something bad is gonna happen, and apparently it did. When it did happen, it was not a shocker but at the same time, it was definitely a surprise,” Bond said.

Hamlin’s brother expressed confidence in Detroit police before a suspect was taken into custody and said “oh, they’re gonna get him.”

“My ultimate concern is that the community heals,” Bond said. “It’s just a tragedy as to what happened — it really is.”

Earlier Thursday, Fitzgerald said that they had a person of interest in the case who they were looking for. It’s unclear if that’s who was taken into custody.

Investigators remained at the scene throughout the night Wednesday and into the next day.

“We are combing that entire area,” Fitzgerald said. “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 this case along.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.