In a quiet Westland, Michigan neighborhood, the life of 46-year-old Melissa A. Hattar was cut short on April 15, 2025, in a tragic event that authorities have described as a murder-suicide. Hattar, a White female, was found deceased in her home on Surrey Heights Street, a residence she shared with 52-year-old Joseph King.
The grim discovery was made after a chilling 911 call was placed by King just before 7:30 p.m. that evening. In the call, King reportedly informed the dispatcher that he had shot his girlfriend and intended to take his own life. The situation escalated dramatically when the dispatcher heard a gunshot over the open line, which was then followed by silence.
Responding to the distressing call, Westland police officers were forced to make entry into the home.
Inside, they found both Hattar and King with fatal gunshot wounds. Emergency responders confirmed that both individuals were deceased at the scene. The Westland Police Department is investigating the incident, with preliminary reports indicating it was a murder-suicide. The investigation into the circumstances that led to this violent end remains ongoing, leaving a community to mourn the loss of life and grapple with the unsettling nature of the event.
