A 16-year-old Detroit, Michigan boy has been charged as an adult for the murders of a 5-year-old boy and two adults.
Malcolm Ray Hardy will be arraigned on the charges on March 1. They include three felony murder charges, first degree premeditated murder, two counts of armed robbery, and eight counts of felony firearm for the gruesome killings of Aaron Benson, LaShon Marshall, and her son Caleb Harris.
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A second teen male was also arrested following Detroit police’s investigation. However, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office denied a warrant request for him due to insufficient evidence to charge him.
The bodies of Benson, Marshall, and Harris were discovered last Sunday during a welfare check issued by police after a relative of the adult male victim had not heard from him for several days. All three victims had been shot multiple times and died from gunshot wounds the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office determined.
Sources said the circumstance of the murders was a robbery gone very wrong and that the teen gunman knew his victims.
“This case is a jarring reminder of why there should always be options for prosecutors when the facts allege unspeakable premeditated violence by a juvenile. The allegations in this case warrant charging the defendant as an adult,” said Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “This case is truly disturbing, especially as it relates to young Caleb. For many reasons it is disheartening to know that a juvenile is alleged to have committed these acts.”
SEE ALSO: Two Teenage Boys In Custody In Michigan Triple Murder Investigation That Included 5-Year-Old Boy
Police were originally called to the 15300 block of Evergreen in Detroit on February 20. They made arrests the following day, police confirmed during a press conference on Monday.
Chief James White and several other members of Detroit law enforcement at the county and the prosecutor’s office were in attendance to bring more attention to the gun violence that was ensnaring children.
“This case, like so many others, has tugged at the heart and spirit of this department,” White said.
[…] SEE ALSO: 16-Year-Old Boy Charged As An Adult In Triple Murder That Left 5-Year-Old Boy Dead […]