In the winter of 2016, a chilling plot unfolded that spanned 200 miles from Detroit to the streets of Muskegon, Michigan, culminating in the death of 38-year-old Deangelo Pippen. On the evening of December 29th, Pippen was driving his car in Norton Shores when he was fatally shot. His vehicle, now without a driver, continued on before crashing in the neighboring city of Muskegon Heights.
From the outset, investigators believed that the shooting was not a random act of violence. Evidence suggested that Pippen, who had ties to Detroit, was the specific target of a calculated and premeditated murder-for-hire scheme. The complexity of the case required a collaborative effort between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to unravel the conspiracy that led to Pippen's death.
Over a year after the fatal shooting, in February 2018, a significant breakthrough was made in the investigation. Four men from Detroit were indicted on multiple federal charges related to the murder-for-hire plot. The suspects were identified as Dwight Williams, also known as 'White' and 'Woody'; Michael Davis, who went by the aliases 'Cain,' 'Novacaine,' and 'Killa'; Christopher Davis, also known as 'Future' and 'Gunna Traum'; and David Allen, known as 'Dirt.'
The indictment, unsealed in a Detroit federal court, detailed the conspiracy and the roles each of the accused allegedly played in the scheme to end Deangelo Pippen's life. The charges brought against the four men were severe, including murder for hire resulting in death, conspiracy to commit murder for hire resulting in death, and the use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death. These charges carried the potential for a sentence of life in prison, reflecting the gravity of the crime.
