NewsRegionOakland County

Actions

Ronald Ilitch, son of Mike, found dead of suspected drug overdose in Troy hotel room

Posted at 5:22 PM, Feb 23, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-24 14:46:29-05

The Ilitch family confirmed that Mike and Marian Ilitch's son Ronald Ilitch has died.

Christopher Ilitch released the following statement on behalf of his mother and the family:

On behalf of my mother Marian Ilitch and our entire family, I want to express our sadness and grief at Ron’s passing. We’re devastated about this loss, and we ask for respect of the family’s privacy during this difficult time.

Troy police are investigating the death. Officers immediately responded to a 911 call from a woman who reported that a man was on the ground, not breathing.

First responders found Ronald laying face up on the floor of the hotel room. There were no immediate signs of trauma to the body.

Troy police are investigating to determine the cause of his death. An autopsy confirmed there was no apparent trauma to his body. 

Police say personal use amount of narcotics were found in the hotel room, the majority of which were prescription narcotics.

Ronald has a history of drug abuse. He was on probation from a 2014 drug case at the time of his death.

Ilitch is one of Mike and Marian Ilitch's 7 children, a member of the family that owns the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and Little Caesars Pizza, which is currently run by his brother Christopher.