Hussein Murray Obituary, Death – An Oakland County man, 72-year-old Hussein Murray, was found dead in his Rochester Hills home on Friday, with authorities attributing his death to a homicide. The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office continues to search for two suspects who were impersonating DTE Energy workers and are believed to be involved in the incident. Murray’s death was ruled a homicide by the Oakland County Medical Examiner.
Murray was discovered in the basement of his home, located in the 3700 block of Newcastle, after his wife called 911. When deputies arrived, they found her bound and with her hands duct-taped. She informed law enforcement that she suspected her husband had been kidnapped.
According to the woman, two men had approached their home on Thursday regarding a supposed gas leak, but they were not allowed entry. However, the following day, they returned and were permitted into the house. Murray accompanied the men to the basement, ostensibly to investigate the gas leak.
After the incident, the wife was briefly hospitalized but has since been released. Sheriff Michael Bouchard condemned the act as a “tragic murder” and vowed that investigators would “leave no stone unturned” in their pursuit of the suspects. He urged them to turn themselves in, asserting, “in any event we will find you.”
The sheriff’s office has released images and video footage from a Ring camera, which captured one of the suspects wearing a white shirt and a yellow vest adorned with orange and blue stripes. In the footage, the man, who was also wearing a face mask and gloves, held a clipboard while claiming, “We’re DTE. We’re checking for gas leaks.” Another individual, appearing to wear a similar vest, stood behind him in the video.
Sheriff Bouchard revealed that Murray was a business owner in Wayne County and noted the violent nature of the crime, stating that there was “so much blood” that the cause of death is still being determined. The suspects, posing as DTE employees, were said to have driven a white pickup truck displaying a DTE placard.
Preliminary reports suggest that on the day of the incident, Murray went to the basement with the two men, and his wife never saw him again. The suspects subsequently emerged, duct-taped her, searched the home for around 20 minutes, and then fled. Bouchard speculated that the suspects might have targeted the residence for valuables, likely due to the business ownership of Murray.
The sheriff’s office is looking into whether any items were taken from the home. In a Saturday release, Sheriff Bouchard warned residents to be cautious of unexpected visitors claiming to be from utility companies. He advised homeowners to verify the identities of any such individuals before granting access.
DTE Energy issued a statement on the alleged homicide involving impostors posing as their employees. The company cautioned customers to check for proper identification, including a badge with a photo ID, when approached by someone claiming to be a DTE worker. Customers are encouraged to call 800-477-4747 to confirm the legitimacy of the worker’s visit. They should keep their doors locked while making calls and speak through a locked door if necessary. If the individual refuses to show their badge, residents are advised to deny service.
DTE also noted that the company usually notifies customers via phone calls, emails, or text messages prior to a visit and that it’s uncommon for workers to need to enter homes unless there’s a gas meter inside, a situation more typical in older houses. It’s important to clarify that while DTE may provide electricity, they do not handle residential gas distribution in Rochester Hills but do operate gas transmission pipelines in the vicinity.
Expressing sympathy for the victims, DTE’s statement conveyed their hope for the swift apprehension and justice for the perpetrators. The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information about the case to reach out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP, where a reward of up to $2,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.