In the winter of 2016, the lives of two men were tragically cut short in a Detroit basement. Ricardo McFarlin, a 32-year-old male, and former NFL player Robert Eddins were found dead on December 20, 2016, having been shot multiple times in what was described as an execution-style killing. The discovery was made by Eddins' father in the basement of a home on the city's west side.
Investigators at the scene found the gas stove turned on, leading them to believe the perpetrators had attempted to destroy evidence by causing an explosion.
The investigation into the double homicide soon uncovered a connection to the drug trade. Federal authorities revealed that the killings of McFarlin and Eddins were linked to a drug-related dispute. According to prosecutors, the motive stemmed from Eddins allegedly not paying for a shipment of cocaine. There were no signs of forced entry at the residence, suggesting that the victims may have known their assailants.
The investigation led authorities to three suspects from out of state: Michael DeAngelo Griffin of Birmingham, Alabama, Clifton Dennis Epps of Amory, Mississippi, and Mariano Lozoya Garcia of Brownsville, Texas. An indictment was filed charging the three men with a number of federal offenses, including murder, drug distribution, and gun crimes. The charges alleged that the trio traveled from Alabama to Detroit with the intent to kill or injure Robert Eddins.
In February 2018, the three men were taken into custody. The charges against them painted a picture of a planned and violent act connected to a broader drug trafficking operation involving heroin and cocaine. The case progressed through the legal system, and in May 2023, two of the accused, Mariano Garcia and Michael Griffin, pleaded guilty to their roles in the execution-style murders. Clifton Epps also reached a plea agreement for his involvement in the deaths.
