WESTLAND, Mich. (WXYZ) — A terrifying early morning text was followed by a desperate race against time and a devastating discovery in Westland.
Westland police are investigating an apparent murder-suicide. It happened in the 35000 block of Farragut Avenue around 7 a.m.
Devon Parker tells 7 News Detroit he received a disturbing text from his brother, Laron Brown, early Monday morning.
“It didn’t sound like he was joking. It felt intense," he said.
Parker said Brown threatened to kill himself and his longtime girlfriend Katlin Morris.
He recalled, “I immediately tell him like, ‘Hey bro, whatever you’re going through, it’s not that serious. Don’t worry. Calm down. Whatever.’"
"That’s when he said, ‘Hey, I’ll text you the code to the door... you gone find her like that, and I don’t care how fast you think that Durango is, you’re not going to make it here in time,'" Parker explained.
Sadly, his brother was right. Parker said when he got to the home, he looked in the kitchen window and spotted his brother’s body on the floor.
Police discovered 30-year-old Katlin Morris's body in another room. At this time, investigators said it appears to be a murder-suicide following what they describe as a dispute between the couple. It's unclear what the dispute was about.
7 News Detroit spoke with Morris’s aunt and uncles.
Deanna Mullins said, “Katlin had a big heart. She was a Halloween baby.”
“Since we’ve lost my sister, Katlin’s mom, me and her have been really close. She’s been like a daughter to me. She was a hard worker," she explained.
Her uncle, Mark Mullins, echoed, “She was a hard worker. As always, working. She’d always want to come over and hang at our house."
"She’d never want to leave. I’d have to kick her out half the time," he joked.
Mullins said Morris and Brown dated for years and enjoyed coming over to play pool and darts, and it's clear the shooting has taken both families by surprise.
Her uncle, Gary Groves said, “Ron was a great guy, and he’s been part of the family forever and like we said, people have their days and today was one of those days. We don’t know what happened, but we love both of them.”
Parker said, “I want to this to be one of those situations where we really stop and think about the mental health of our loved ones, our co-workers.. People who we haven’t talked to in years.”
“Take the time to reach out to someone, let them know, ‘Hey, I love you. Haven’t talked to you in a minute. Just checking on you,'" he suggested.
