In the winter of 2022, a tragic discovery was made inside a home on Evergreen Road in Detroit, Michigan, unveiling a scene of profound loss. On February 18th, after days of silence, a concerned cousin of Aaron Benson went to check on him, only to find the back door kicked in. Inside, he found the lifeless bodies of 32-year-old Benson, his girlfriend, 28-year-old Lashon Marshall, and her young son, 5-year-old Caleb Harris.
All three had been shot multiple times in what appeared to be an execution-style killing.
The brutal nature of the crime, especially the murder of a young child, sent shockwaves through the community and prompted a swift and intensive investigation by the Detroit Police Department. Family members were left reeling, struggling to comprehend the violence that had claimed the lives of their loved ones. Lashon was remembered as a devoted mother and an advocate who had overcome a difficult childhood and was working to create a better future for her son. Caleb, who was just weeks away from his sixth birthday, was described as a happy child who loved to travel with his parents.
The investigation quickly led to two teenage suspects, who were taken into custody based on tips from the community. One of the teens, a 17-year-old, was later released due to a lack of evidence. The other, 16-year-old Malcolm Ray Hardy, was charged as an adult with three counts of first-degree murder, felony murder, armed robbery, and felony firearm charges.
During legal proceedings, testimony revealed the chilling motive behind the triple homicide. Hardy had reportedly gone to the home to deliver marijuana to Benson when an altercation broke out. Hardy then shot Benson. According to a friend's testimony, he accidentally shot Lashon before fatally shooting her in the head. Fearing that young Caleb would identify him, Hardy then shot the 5-year-old boy in the leg and head.
In May 2024, Malcolm Ray Hardy, then 18, pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder. He was subsequently sentenced to 28 to 60 years in prison for each count, to be served concurrently, after a mandatory two-year sentence for the firearm charge. At his sentencing, Hardy offered an apology to the families he had devastated, expressing that he never intended for the tragic events to unfold. For the families of Lashon Marshall, Aaron Benson, and little Caleb Harris, the conclusion of the legal proceedings brought a measure of justice, but could never erase the immense pain of their loss.
