On the evening of January 21, 2013, Christopher Joseph Best, a 61-year-old White male from Redford Township, Michigan, drove to the Woodbridge Historic District in Detroit for a business arrangement. Best, who was well-regarded in his community as a dedicated foster parent and an accomplished musician, had traveled to the 4500 block of Avery Street to meet with a friend.
The purpose of his visit was to deliver a cash payment of $1,000 for contractual work that had been completed at his residence.
Upon arriving at the location around 7:20 p.m., Best was ambushed outside the home before he could complete his transaction. An unknown assailant approached him and fired multiple shots from a long gun, striking him repeatedly. In the aftermath of the shooting, the gunman robbed Best of the money he had brought and his iPhone. The attacker then fled the scene in a sport utility vehicle, leaving Best to succumb to his injuries on the sidewalk.
Investigators later released a composite sketch of the suspect, whom they described as a man approximately 23 to 24 years old with a dark complexion. He was reported to stand about 5 feet 6 inches tall with a medium build, and was noted for having distinctive scars on both sides of his face. At the time of the attack, the suspect was wearing a hoodie and had a five o’clock shadow. Despite the release of these details and a cash reward offered by Crime Stoppers, reports from later in the year indicated that the case remained unsolved with no arrests made.
