A simmering dispute in the queue for a popular haunted house attraction in Pontiac, Michigan, ultimately led to the tragic death of 29-year-old Douglas Reese. On the evening of September 27, 2020, Reese and his girlfriend were waiting in line to enter the Erebus Haunted Attraction when an argument erupted. Reese had a verbal exchange with another individual in the line who accused him of cutting ahead. Following the dispute, Reese informed his girlfriend that he was returning to his vehicle.
The conflict, however, did not end there. The other individual, later identified as 17-year-old Damon Parker Terrelle, also went to his car. Shortly after, witnesses reported hearing gunshots. Reese was discovered to have been shot multiple times, with wounds to his side, neck, and chest. He was quickly transported to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a blue sedan fleeing the area at high speed after the shooting.
An investigation was launched by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, and authorities soon identified Damon Parker Terrelle as the suspect. On October 3, 2020, Terrelle was apprehended near the Michigan-Indiana border by the Oakland County Fugitive Apprehension Team and U.S. Marshals. He was taken into custody and subsequently charged as an adult with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and carrying a concealed weapon.
In September 2022, nearly two years after the fatal shooting, Damon Parker Terrelle, then 19, was sentenced for his role in the death of Douglas Reese. He received a sentence of 17 to 50 years in prison for a second-degree homicide charge. In addition to this, he was sentenced to two to five years for carrying a concealed weapon and a two-year sentence for a felony firearms charge, with all sentences to be served concurrently. He was given credit for 717 days already served in custody.
