In the quiet neighborhood of northwest Detroit, a family tragedy unfolded, leaving a community in mourning and a family shattered. Ardel Hough, a 60-year-old man, was in his bedroom when he was fatally shot twice in the head. His life was taken on May 1, 2019, in an act of violence that also targeted his wife.
The alleged assailant was the couple's own 35-year-old son.
Authorities reported that an argument over the son's car, an old red Honda he seldom drove, escalated to a horrific outcome. The son reportedly believed his parents had done something to his vehicle. In a moment of anger, he is said to have first shot his father, Ardel.
His 64-year-old mother then faced the unimaginable, pleading for her life before also being shot. In a remarkable act of presence of mind, she pretended to be deceased. Her son allegedly kicked her to confirm she was no longer alive before leaving the bedroom. This brave deception allowed her to survive and call her daughter for help, who then alerted the police.
When law enforcement arrived at the home on Grand View, near 8 Mile, they found the couple's son outside and promptly arrested him. The loss of Ardel Hough, a man who had worked for the city of Detroit and was described by neighbors as a cornerstone of their close-knit community, sent ripples of grief through the area. He was remembered as a good neighbor who always looked out for others. While his wife was rushed to surgery, the community was left to grapple with the devastating loss of a man described as having a beautiful spirit.
