In Detroit, a series of tragic events unfolded, leaving a community in fear and leading to the capture of a serial killer. The story begins with the discovery of the body of 57-year-old Annetta Nelson on February 26, 2018. She was found in a vacant house on Winthrop Street, and an autopsy later revealed she died from blunt force trauma. Initially, the man who found her and dragged her body outside was arrested for her murder, but he was later cleared by security footage. This was the first known victim of a predator who would go on to take more lives.
Over a year later, in March 2019, the body of 52-year-old Nancy Harrison was discovered in another abandoned home on Coventry Street. She too had been killed by blunt force trauma. The discoveries continued with 55-year-old Trevesene Ellis, whose body was found on March 24, 2019, followed by 55-year-old Tamara Jones on June 5, 2019, both in vacant houses. Due to the advanced state of decomposition of the latter two victims, their exact causes of death could not be determined. A chilling signature was left at each scene: the victims were found facedown with a used condom nearby. Authorities believed the women, some of whom were thought to be sex workers, were targeted because of their vulnerability.
The investigation intensified as police recognized a pattern, suggesting a serial killer was at large. The breakthrough came from two women who survived their attacks. One woman was sexually assaulted and stabbed in the neck in May 2019 but managed to fight back and escape. Another woman was attacked in June 2019 and also survived. These brave survivors were able to provide crucial information that led police to identify a person of interest.
On June 7, 2019, police arrested 34-year-old Deangelo Kenneth Martin at a Detroit bus stop. He was initially charged in connection with one of the surviving victim's attacks. Subsequent DNA evidence linked him to the murders of Annetta Nelson, Nancy Harrison, Trevesene Ellis, and Tamara Jones. Investigators also looked into his possible connection to other missing persons and unsolved homicides.
In September 2019, Deangelo Martin was charged with four counts of first-degree murder and four counts of felony murder. After a psychological evaluation found him fit to stand trial, the legal proceedings began. In September 2022, Martin accepted a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree murder and two counts of criminal sexual conduct. On October 6, 2022, he was sentenced to 45 to 70 years in prison for the murders, with concurrent sentences for the sexual assault charges.
