On Christmas Day in 2021, a heart-wrenching discovery was made inside a home on Prevost Street in Detroit, Michigan. Thirteen-year-old Daunya Fields, an African-American girl, and her adoptive mother, 57-year-old Elaine Fizer, were found fatally shot. The grim scene was uncovered by family members who had arrived for a planned Christmas dinner and grew concerned when they couldn't reach them.
Daunya, who was developmentally disabled as a result of abuse she suffered as an infant, was
described as a sweet and beloved member of her family. Her mother, Elaine, was devoted to her care. The tragedy of their violent deaths sent shockwaves through their community and left their loved ones devastated.
In the hours following the discovery, Detroit police identified Elaine Fizer's 62-year-old husband, Dwayne McDonald, as a person of interest in the double homicide. McDonald, who was not Daunya's biological father, resided in the home with the victims. A search for him was immediately launched, with authorities considering him armed and dangerous. He was reportedly dependent on an oxygen tank at all times.
The search for Dwayne McDonald came to a dramatic and fatal conclusion a few days later. Acting on a tip, police located him at an apartment complex. When officers attempted to apprehend him, McDonald reportedly fired at them. The officers returned fire, and McDonald was killed at the scene. His death closed the investigation into the murders of Daunya Fields and Elaine Fizer, leaving a family to mourn their profound loss.
