In a tragic and mysterious turn of events, 26-year-old Laith Anki was found shot to death in Sterling Heights, Michigan, in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 2, 2017. His death was the second homicide to occur at the same location within a week, deepening the fear and uncertainty within his family and the community.
Just five days earlier, on November 27, 2017, Anki had discovered the body of his 51-year-old cousin and business partner, Sufian 'Samuel' Saba, who had also been fatally shot inside their business, Laith's Candy Land. The business, a wholesaler of candy and nuts located off of Mound Road, had only been open since September of that year.
On the evening of December 1, after attending the wake for his cousin, Anki told his family he was going out to get cigarettes and never returned. Concerned when he didn't come home, his family contacted the police. Anki was later found deceased in the warehouse portion of Laith's Candy Land, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators believe the two murders are connected and that both men were specifically targeted. Evidence suggests that two shooters were involved in Saba's murder, and one of the same guns was used in Anki's killing. Surveillance footage from outside the building also indicated the presence of a third person acting as a getaway driver during Anki's murder. Despite conducting over 100 interviews, police have not been able to establish a clear motive for the killings, and they do not believe anything was stolen from the business.
The murders sent a wave of fear through the victims' family, causing them to take precautions for their safety. As of the latest reports, the case remains an unsolved cold case. No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified. A reward has been offered by Crime Stoppers for any information that leads to an arrest in connection with the murders of Laith Anki and Sufian Saba.
