Katrease Stafford

Detroit Free Press

►Update: Prosecutor: Dearborn Heights man killed kids in front of mother

►Update: Dad held in slaughter of family had stabbed first wife to death in 1991

A man is in police custody after authorities said he asphyxiated his two young children in a car at their Dearborn Heights home, shot and killed his two stepchildren and slashed and shot his wife early Wednesday.

Dearborn Heights Police Lt. Michael Krause told the Free Press the father called 911 about 1:15 a.m., saying he had just killed his family at their home in the 4400 block of Hipp Street. When officers arrived, the man was standing on the front porch and he told them his family was inside dead.

Police Chief Lee Gavin said police quickly arrested the man and ran into the home to locate the children and his wife.

Krause said officers found the two older siblings, a 17-year-old female and 19-year-old male, bound and dead from obvious gunshot wounds in the basement. Their mother, who police believe is about 40, was also found in the basement with multiple injuries.

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"She had gunshot wounds and slashing wounds from a knife to her face and throat area," Krause said. The woman was transported to Beaumont Hospital in Dearborn in stable condition, Krause said. Police said her injuries appear to be non-life threatening.

Officers checking other parts of the home then found a 4-year-old girl and a 5-year-old girl dead in their beds. Police said it appears the two children died from "intentional carbon monoxide asphyxiation." Police earlier had identified one of the victims as a 6-year-old boy.

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"They were asphyxiated in a car with a makeshift tailpipe hose that was redirected into the vehicle," Krause said. "And then they were taken from the car and back into their bedroom."

Krause said officers tried to revive the two young children. They were taken to Beaumont Hospital in Dearborn and pronounced dead. The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office identified the two young girls as 4-year-old Kaliegh Green and 5-year-old Koi Green, whose age conflicts with information previously given by police.

Both of the children's deaths were ruled a homicide, but the cause of death is pending, according to the medical examiner's office.

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Police are continuing to investigate a possible motive, but Krause said police think the killings stem from a marital issue. Court records show the wife filed for divorce in August.

Police said the two teens are the woman's children from a previous relationship, but the younger kids were his biological children, Krause said.

"We're being assisted by Michigan State Police evidence techs," Krause said. "We're conducting another part of the investigation, which includes interviewing the suspect and looking into his background."

Citing an ongoing open investigation, police remained tight-lipped at a news conference Wednesday afternoon at the Dearborn Heights Police Department.

"I don't think anybody could prepare themselves for this," said Capt. Michael Petri. "In my 30 years in law enforcement, I can't recall a crime of this magnitude happening in the city of Dearborn Heights. Obviously, it's not a crime that we can police on a regular basis. These are family situations that happen in the best of families and in the worst of families. Obviously, this incident has had extremely tragic results."

According to state criminal history records, a Gregory Vicente Green, 49, whose home address on the 4400 block of Hipp Street is the same as the homicide scene, was convicted of second-degree murder in March 1992. He was sentenced to 15-25 years in prison.

On Sept. 1, he was issued a learner’s permit for a commercial driver’s license in Michigan, according to the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office. Petri declined to share any information about the man in custody or discuss a possible criminal record. Petri said police are in the process of pulling together a warrant package to submit to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. Petri said the man will likely be arraigned within a day or so.

Maria Miller, spokeswoman for the Prosecutor's Office, said a warrant request has not been received yet. The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office is conducting autopsies, Petri said.

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Dearborn Heights Mayor Dan Paletko, speaking near the home, called the killings “a tragedy in every sense of the word.” At the news conference, Paletko said he also can't recall a crime of this nature occurring in the city.

"I've been affiliated with the city for 45 years and I can't remember another instance of this magnitude," he said. "This is a very rare occurrence and it's just difficult to understand the motivation. I don't understand what happened in this household, but it's a tragedy that we just can't understand."

Multiple investigators remained at the home and could be seen removing several items. The body of one of the teens was wheeled out of the home by police and the medical examiner's office, as neighbors watched in shock. Police described the neighborhood as a nice residential block in the south end of the city, with well-kept homes.

Neighbor Karen Radtke said she was "horrified and in shock" by the brutal attack.

"This is a quiet neighborhood," Radtke said. "This is a very extremely sad situation. I just don't know what provoked him. I woke up and saw police cars and flashing lights everywhere. I came outside and that's when I found out what happened. I'm just in total shock."

Radtke said she regularly saw the children playing outside with the family's dog. She said she recalls seeing the mother as well, but said the father worked long hours and was rarely home. Radtke said she last saw the father Tuesday cutting the grass.

"I'd see her out there once in awhile," she said. "But those kids, they were just normal kids. Just all playing. They had a little dog. The father? You'd never knew he was there until you saw his little car. It's just a shame this happened. How could he do something like this? To kill four kids who were just beginning their lives?"

Radtke and other neighbors said the family just had a birthday celebration last week for one of the youngest children, with balloons and ornaments decorating the house.

"A lot of of their friends and family were here," Radtke recalled. "Her family has to be so devastated. Let's hope she makes it. It's just so sad."

A neighbor, who would only identify himself as Jeff, said his wife watched the scene unfold as the father came outside and stood on his porch after apparently killing his family.

"That guy wasn't right," the man said, adding he had a tense disagreement with him six months ago. "My wife woke me up and said that the police were outside. She saw him on the porch and she saw them take him away. I just can't believe it all happened. It had to be premeditated or something. To kill your own kids, I just cannot relate."

Neighbor Ronnie Jones said he found out what happened when another neighbor, who lives across the street, called him around 2 a.m., asking why so many police were outside.

"I went outside and someone told me, 'It's your neighbor. He just killed his whole family,' " Jones said. "I'm shocked. This never happens on this block. I'm shocked because they honestly just seemed like a regular family. They would have parties and they just had two or three picnic things this summer. I've lived here a long time and never saw anything like this."

As the community continues to grapple with the slayings, Dearborn Heights Fire Chief Dave Brogan said at the news conference that he dispatched five members of a special team trained to handle stressful and tragic situations, like what occurred Wednesday.

"We did call in this team of firefighters to talk with the team on the scene," Brogan said. "We even talked with the dispatchers because it's a trauma for everyone and over the next week or so they'll be dealing with the emotions."

Counseling has also been made available for students and staff at nearby schools, and donations are being collected to help the family with funeral arrangements.

“It’s very somber today,” said Dan Scott, assistant superintendent at Dearborn Heights School District No. 7. “Such senseless things as someone shooting their family has not been something that we’ve encountered before.”

He said three of the siblings had attended schools in the district as recently as last year, but none were currently enrolled.

Contact Katrease Stafford: kstafford@freepress.com. Staff writer Robert Allen contributed to this report.