On a cold evening in Detroit, a man named Clifton Smith, aged 44, found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was January 30, 2020, when he was visiting friends, 48-year-old Dorian Patterson and his brother Gerald. What began as a casual get-together with alcohol would soon turn into a scene of violence and tragedy. Another friend, 52-year-old Kimberly Green, was also present at the house.
Later in the evening, an argument broke out between a man they knew, Kenyel Brown, and some of the individuals in the house. The dispute quickly escalated, and Brown produced a firearm. In the ensuing chaos, both Dorian Patterson and Kimberly Green were fatally shot. Clifton Smith was also wounded by the gunfire but managed to escape the horrific scene and alert the authorities. His survival was crucial, as he became a key witness to the events that transpired.
The man responsible for the double homicide and the wounding of Clifton Smith was Kenyel William Brown. Brown was no stranger to law enforcement, with a criminal history that spanned over two decades. In the months leading up to this incident, he had been involved in a string of violent crimes across Wayne County, Michigan, including several other murders. Investigators later identified Brown as a serial killer who had been working as a police informant, a revelation that sparked considerable controversy. His crime spree, which began in December 2019, ultimately claimed the lives of six people.
Following the murders of Patterson and Green, a manhunt for Kenyel Brown intensified. On February 24, 2020, authorities located him. However, as law enforcement closed in, Brown attempted to take his own life by shooting himself in the head. He was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries four days later without ever regaining consciousness. With his death, the reign of terror he had inflicted upon the communities of River Rouge, Highland Park, and Detroit came to a close.
