Arrest made in slaying of Rochester Hills man allegedly by fake utility workers

An arrest was made in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Saturday afternoon in the case involving fake utility workers who allegedly killed a man inside his Rochester Hills home Friday.

The suspect in the death of Hussein Murray, 72, was taken into custody without incident, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said.

No other details were released, as authorities are seeking a second suspect.

“We appreciate the public’s help with giving us tips and information related to the Rochester Hills homicide involving the fake DTE workers,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement. “We can’t release a lot of information at this point, but we wanted to communicate that in conjunction with our great law enforcement partners, we have suspect number one, the Hispanic male shown in the video, in custody in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Bouchard said the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is still seeking tips about the second suspect. Information can be communicated to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest. Tipsters remain anonymous.

Murray’s 72-year-old wife, who has not been identified, was home during the invasion on Friday. She was briefly hospitalized and released.

More:Rochester Hills man killed inside home by fake utility workers. Video of suspects released

Two men who posed as DTE employees are responsible for Murray’s death, Bouchard said. The death was ruled a homicide Saturday by the Oakland County medical examiner.

Authorities described the suspects as a heavy-set Hispanic man and a thin Black man. They were driving a white pickup truck with a DTE identifier on it.

Earlier Saturday, Bouchard said in a release that authorities were “incredibly saddened by this tragic murder, and we will leave no stone unturned seeking the perpetrators of this heinous act. I urge them to turn themselves in, because in any event we will find you.”

Authorities said they obtained home security footage of the suspects Friday evening. In a clip shared on the Sheriff’s Office’s social media accounts, a large man wearing a reflective vest and medical face mask can be heard saying, “We’re DTE. We’re checking for gas leaks.”

The death happened shortly before noon Friday in a home in the 3700 block of Newcastle, an upscale neighborhood.

The Sheriff’s Office said the man’s wife called 911. She had been tied up and her hands had been duct taped. She told deputies initially that she believed her husband may have been kidnapped. While checking the house, deputies found the husband’s body in the basement.

The woman told deputies the men had come to their home Thursday night, claiming there was a gas leak but were not admitted. She said on Friday they were allowed in the home and her husband accompanied them to the basement, ostensibly to look for the leak.

Bouchard said residents should be wary of anyone showing up at their home unexpectedly claiming to be from a utility or some other business and wanting access. He encouraged residents to check with the business or utility and ask if they have workers in the area before allowing them in your home.

DTE said residents should ask to see a badge with photo identification if anyone arrives at their home or business saying they are from the utility.  

Residents who want to verify a worker’s identity or confirm that a vehicle is an authorized company vehicle can immediately call DTE at 800-477-4747. If the person becomes agitated or acts in a strange manner, insisting that you let them inside, call 911 DTE said.