In the early morning hours of February 6, 2017, the quiet streets of Westland, Michigan, were disturbed by the sound of gunshots. Responding to calls from concerned residents, police discovered a grim scene near the area of Newburgh and Michigan Avenue. There, they found the bodies of two men, 35-year-old Howard Wick of Westland and 19-year-old Jordan Baker of Wayne.
The two victims were found deceased on the street, their bodies separated by a significant distance.
Investigators quickly suspected the double homicide was not a random act of violence. Evidence found at the scene, including a bag of drugs, led them to believe the killings were drug-related, possibly stemming from a drug deal gone wrong. The Westland Police, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, launched an intensive investigation that swiftly led to the identification of three suspects.
Within a day of the murders, three individuals were taken into custody. Dominik Charleston, 19, of Taylor, Kobi Taylor, 19, who was homeless, and Amber Marie Tackett, 17, of Taylor, were arrested in connection with the deaths of Wick and Baker. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office brought serious charges against the trio. Charleston was charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, two counts of felony murder, two counts of armed robbery, and felony firearm charges. Taylor and Tackett each faced two counts of felony murder and two counts of armed robbery, with Taylor also facing felony firearm charges.
Following their arrests, the three teens were arraigned in 18th District Court and were remanded to jail without bond. The swift arrests and charges brought a sense of relief to the community, as police assured residents that they did not believe there was an ongoing random threat to the neighborhood.
