George Hunter

The Detroit News

Detroit police are investigating the slaying of a man whose bludgeoned body was discovered Sunday morning behind an east-side apartment building near the Detroit-Grosse Pointe Park border.

The body of the victim, described by police as a white male in his 40s, was discovered at about 7 a.m. behind the building near Kerchival and Alter Road, Detroit Police Officer Dan Donakowski said.

“There was trauma to the victim’s body,” Donakowski said.

Donakowski said investigators have not identified any suspects in the killing.

The discovery of the slain man comes on the heels of a triple homicide Saturday, also on the city’s east side, about nine miles northwest of Sunday’s scene.

In that case, officers were called around 11:30 a.m. Saturday to check on the welfare of the occupants of a home in the 18600 block of Sherwood. Police entered the home and found the bodies of three men. One victim, a 58-year-old black male, was lying near the front door. A white man, whose age is unknown, was on the couch and another white man, believed to be in his 50s, lay on the kitchen floor.

All those victims had been physically assaulted, Donakowski said. At least one of the men also was shot. No suspects have been identified, Donakowski said.

There have been at least 23 homicides in Detroit this year, two fewer than during the same period last year, according to crime data on the city’s website.

Anyone with information about either homicide is asked to contact the department’s homicide line anonymously at (313) 596-2260 or Crime Stoppers of Michigan at (800) SPEAK-UP (773-2587).

ghunter@detroitnews.com

(313) 222-2134

Twitter: @GeorgeHunter_DN