David Madrigal served and protected the citizens of Detroit for 26 years. The 59-year-old was already planning his retirement party for June.
But Monday evening, Madrigal's adult son found him dead inside his home near Warren and Evergreen on Detroit's west side.
Madrigal's black 2015 Ford Explorer was found burned in Southwest Detroit on Saturday.
Detroit Police say an upstairs bedroom was ransacked and a source tells 7 Action News that Madrigal's safe is missing.
The beloved firefighter, who also did so much for his community when he was off-duty, was killed by blunt force trauma to the head.
Michael Nevin, President of the Detroit Fire Fighters Association, says his members are all like a large extended family and the murder of Madrigal is extremely tough and even makes them angry that someone would kill a man who was so kind to others that he dedicated his life to saving strangers.
Anyone with any information is urged to call Detroit Police homicide investigators at (313) 596-2260.
Anonymous tips can also be phoned in to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
Click on the video above to see Kimberly Craig's reports on this tragic loss of a hero.
