In the winter of 2017, the city of Owosso, Michigan, was rocked by the violent deaths of two men, one of whom was Joseph Michael Carson, a 31-year-old professional wrestler and MMA fighter. On January 27th, Carson, along with Anthony Lee Hammond, was found shot to death inside a car in the parking lot of the local Walmart. The discovery of their bodies would unravel a story of a drug deal gone fatally wrong, orchestrated through an online advertisement.
Investigators quickly determined
that the double homicide was the result of a planned marijuana transaction that had been arranged on Craigslist. Carson and Hammond had intended to sell marijuana, but the meeting turned into a robbery and, ultimately, a homicide. The assailants shot both men before making their escape. The brutal nature of the crime and its public location sent shockwaves through the community.
The investigation swiftly led law enforcement to two brothers from Grand Rapids, Otis Smith Jr. and Anthony Holloway. They were identified as the primary suspects in the killings, with Otis Smith Jr. being named as the shooter. A woman who acted as their getaway driver was also apprehended. The evidence against the brothers was substantial enough to lead to their arrests and subsequent charges for the murders of Joseph Carson and Anthony Hammond.
The legal proceedings that followed brought a measure of justice for the victims and their families. In Shiawassee County Circuit Court, both Otis Smith Jr. and Anthony Holloway were convicted for their roles in the double homicide. Otis Smith Jr., the triggerman, received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Anthony Holloway was also convicted and awaited his sentencing, while the female accomplice who drove the getaway car was also sentenced for her part in the crime. The defense's claim of self-defense was ultimately rejected by the court.
