Ghaith Baban, a 48-year-old Chaldean man, was fatally shot on Friday, November 7, 2025, in a horrifying double homicide that unfolded inside an auto dealership in Shelby Township, Michigan. The incident, which also claimed the life of 40-year-old Marvan Batoo, the owner of Star Auto Sales, stemmed from a dispute with a disgruntled customer.
The tragic events transpired when a man, later identified as Terrance Jermain Sandles, a 46-year-old from Houston, Texas, entered the dealership on
Ryan Road and opened fire. An employee arriving at the business around 12:30 p.m. discovered the bodies of Baban, a resident of Clinton Township, and Batoo inside the office and immediately alerted the authorities. Investigators found five 9mm shell casings at the scene.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on Sandles. Surveillance video from the dealership reportedly captured the suspect, wearing black clothing and a mask, shooting both victims at point-blank range before calmly walking away from the scene. Further investigation revealed that Sandles had been in a dispute with the dealership weeks prior over a $3,000 Hummer he had purchased.
Authorities were able to track Sandles down to a hotel in Romulus, where he was arrested the day after the killings. Inside his hotel room, police reportedly discovered guns and cash that had been stolen from the auto dealership. Sandles was charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, in addition to other felony charges. He has been denied bond. It was also reported that Sandles was possibly in Michigan to escape criminal charges in Texas.
