In the early morning hours of December 2, 2011, the life of 24-year-old Ennis Buford was tragically cut short in Detroit, Michigan. A graduate of Finney High School and a loving father to two young children, Buford had dreams of one day opening his own car wash and barbershop. He had a passion for cars, a love that was evident in his ownership of a silver 2006 Land Rover.
On that fateful night, Buford had just dropped a friend off around 1:45 a.m.
Less than an hour later, at approximately 2:40 a.m., a passerby made a grim discovery in the 3000 block of Haverhill Street, near Brunswick Street on the city's east side. Ennis Buford's body was found lying in front of a house, the victim of a fatal shooting. His Land Rover was missing from the scene, an immediate indication to investigators that this was more than just a random act of violence. The vehicle was eventually recovered two weeks later on the west side of Detroit.
In the years that have followed, Buford's family has been left with unending questions and the deep pain of their loss. His mother, Varnessa Golson-Buford, has publicly stated her belief that her son knew his killer, convinced that he would not have stopped for a stranger in the middle of the night. Her heart-wrenching pleas for information have underscored the family's desperate search for justice and closure for his two daughters, who were just 8 and 5 years old at the time of their father's death.
Despite the ongoing investigation and the offer of a cash reward of up to $2,500 by Crime Stoppers of Michigan for any information leading to an arrest, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Ennis Buford. The case remains a painful open wound for his family and the community, a reminder of a young life full of promise that was violently extinguished on a cold December morning.
