HAZEL PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) — A suspect has been arrested after a woman and her 12-year-old son were found dead in what police are investigating as a double homicide in Hazel Park, law enforcement sources told 7 News Detroit.
Late Monday night, police found the mother and son dead inside a home on Berdeno Avenue, near I-75 and 9 Mile Road.
Watch our breaking news report after the arrest was made below, and our report from the morning after:
Tuesday night, police said an arrest had been made in the case. We're told that a 43-year-old man has been taken into custody in connection to this case.
Earlier, police said they don't believe the public is in danger.
We spoke to the family of the victims about the tragedy. Family has identified the victims as 12-year-old Kardi Jackson and 41-year-old Linda Hill.
Watch Ruta Ulcinaite's video report before the arrest was made below:
Linda's 21-year-old son, Damontez Hill, says his mother had a joy for life. He says that they don't have a lot of information at this point, by that the entire family is heartbroken.
“All around good person. She wasn’t bothering nobody for real, always fun, main thing she wanted to do was to have fun," Hill said. "I don’t even know what would make a person do something like this. It’s messed up.”
WEB EXTRA: Damontez Hill talks about his mother and brother and their murders
Family members say the victim and her 12-year-old son were supposed to be at a Labor Day party; they were just waiting on someone to pick them up. A close relative who didn't want to be identified said someone at the party was on the phone with the victim when the person they believe is behind the double homicide walked in her front door.
Watch a report from earlier in the day in the video player below:
"They were on the phone together while the situation was going down, but it went blank," the family member said. "She said she didn’t hear no screams or anything like that. But she heard the phone go silent... he is 12, like I said, young and innocent. He didn’t have anything to do with this."
Instead of joining his middle school classmates after the holiday break, the Hazel Park school district notified families of resources to aid students dealing with the death of a classmate, letting them know a 12-year-old and his mom were killed on the holiday.
"The family is in our thoughts, prayers, and support during this incredibly difficult time," the letter to district families read.
The family member said that the last phone call happened around 4 p.m. on Monday. Shortly after 4 p.m., Hazel Park police said they found the mom and her son inside the home. They haven't said how they died, only that they sustained injuries from apparent trauma. Police are investigating this as a double homicide.
This is all still early in the investigation, but if you have any information, you're asked to call Hazel Park police.
Family has shared the following GoFundMe link if you'd like to help them support funeral costs for Kardi Jackson and Linda Hill.
