In a tragic turn of events stemming from a seemingly ordinary online transaction, Dominique Grandberry, a 33-year-old Black man from Pontiac, Michigan, lost his life on the evening of January 25, 2018. Grandberry, known to his loved ones as a quiet and fun-spirited individual with a passion for his children, family, and collecting cars and clothes, had arranged to sell an iPhone to two teenagers in the parking lot of a local McDonald's. The deal soured when the two buyers, later identified as 18-year-old Pontiac residents Jaylen Rouser and Henry Brown, paid for the phone with counterfeit $100 bills.
Upon discovering the fake currency, Grandberry pursued Rouser and Brown on foot. The confrontation tragically escalated, resulting in Grandberry being shot multiple times. He was discovered lying in the street on Earlmoor near Woodward Avenue, still clutching the keys to his Chevrolet Suburban. Emergency services transported him to a nearby hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Fugitive Apprehension Team, moved swiftly in their investigation. Their efforts led to the prompt arrest of both Jaylen Rouser and Henry Brown. Investigators also recovered the. 22 caliber handgun believed to have been used in the fatal shooting.
Both Rouser and Brown faced serious charges, including felony murder, firearm offenses, and conspiracy to commit larceny by false pretenses. Following their arraignment, they were held without bond. In August of 2018, both young men pleaded no contest to first-degree murder, bringing a legal conclusion to the case that so tragically cut short the life of Dominique Grandberry.
