In the early hours of Sunday morning, a devastating scene unfolded on Detroit’s west side that left a community reeling and a family shattered. Three individuals—two women and a 9-year-old girl—were discovered lifeless inside a charred vehicle, their bodies so severely burned that immediate identification was impossible. As the investigation unfolded, the grim details emerged: authorities believe the women had been shot and the young girl stabbed before the car was deliberately set ablaze. The horrific nature of the crime has sent shockwaves through the city, and police have arrested a man—the ex-boyfriend of one of the victims—as a key person of interest in this triple homicide.
The tragedy began to come to light around 2 a.m. on April 6, when Detroit firefighters responded to reports of a car engulfed in flames near the intersection of Tireman Avenue and Epworth Street. After extinguishing the fire, they made a chilling discovery: the remains of three people inside the vehicle. Deputy Chief Jacqueline Pritchett of the Detroit Police Department addressed the media later that day, confirming that the victims appeared to be two adult women and a preteen girl. Preliminary findings suggested the deaths were not the result of the fire itself but of violent acts committed beforehand. The car, police believe, was used as a means to conceal the killings, its interior reduced to ash and twisted metal.
As investigators worked to piece together the sequence of events, their focus shifted to a residence on the city’s east side, roughly seven miles from the crime scene. There, in a home on Beaconsfield Street, they uncovered evidence linking the murders to the suspect now in custody. Inside the house, officers also found a 4-year-old boy, alone and unharmed but clearly shaken. The child, believed to be connected to one of the victims, was quickly placed in the care of family members as authorities processed the scene. The discovery of the boy added yet another layer of heartbreak to an already unbearable situation, raising questions about the events leading up to the killings and the fate of those left behind.
While police have withheld official confirmation of the victims’ identities due to the condition of the bodies, loved ones have taken to social media to mourn the loss of Sandra, Kayda, and a 9-year-old girl they describe as a bright and cherished child. Friends and family members have painted a picture of the victims as a tight-knit trio—a mother, her daughter, and her young niece—whose lives were tragically cut short. Posts on platforms like Facebook and Instagram have expressed disbelief and anguish, with one family friend writing, “They didn’t deserve this. No one does. How could someone do this to them?” The outpouring of grief has underscored the deep impact this loss has had on those who knew them, even as the investigation continues to seek answers.
The suspect, identified only as the ex-boyfriend of one of the adult victims, was apprehended on Monday, April 7, following a swift but intensive police effort. Authorities have not released his name pending formal charges, but they have indicated that the killings may have stemmed from a domestic dispute that escalated into unimaginable violence. Sources close to the investigation suggest the man allegedly shot the two women—believed to be his former partner and her mother—before turning a knife on the 9-year-old girl, the niece of his ex-girlfriend. The car fire, they say, was likely an attempt to destroy evidence and obscure the brutality of the acts.
Detroit police have been tight-lipped about specific motives or the exact timeline, but they are urging anyone with information to come forward. A $5,000 reward has been offered through Crime Stoppers of Michigan for tips leading to further breakthroughs in the case. Callers can remain anonymous by contacting 1-800-SPEAK-UP, a hotline that has become a lifeline for investigators seeking to close this chapter of violence. Deputy Chief Pritchett emphasized the importance of community cooperation, stating, “We need to know what happened leading up to this. Every detail matters.”
The city of Detroit, no stranger to hardship, has been left grappling with the sheer cruelty of this crime. Neighbors near the site where the burned car was found described a quiet night shattered by sirens and the acrid smell of smoke. One resident, who asked not to be named, recalled seeing the glow of flames from her window and feeling an immediate sense of dread. “You don’t think something like this could happen so close to home,” she said. “It’s the kind of thing that stays with you.”
As the investigation progresses, the focus remains on securing justice for the victims and support for the surviving 4-year-old boy, who now faces a future without his family. The case has reignited conversations about domestic violence and the devastating ripple effects it can have, particularly when children are caught in its path. For now, a grieving community waits for answers, holding onto memories of three lives lost in a senseless act of rage, and hoping that the truth will bring some measure of peace.