Michael Lee Stratford, a 38-year-old male, was a devoted single father to his three-year-old daughter. A resident of River Rouge, Michigan, he worked as a forklift driver for an automotive company. His life was tragically cut short in May 2016. On May 7, 2016, his family reported him missing after he left the home he shared with his mother and daughter. The last communication he received was from a friend who lived on Brian Street in Taylor, and his motorcycle was later found at that residence.
Concerned when he didn't return home, his family and friends began an extensive search. Their worst fears were realized on May 15, 2016, when his body was discovered in a field in Ypsilanti. The investigation that followed revealed a grim sequence of events. Authorities believe that on the day he disappeared, Stratford was shot inside the house on Brian Street in Taylor and his body was later moved to the field in Ypsilanti where it was found.
The investigation quickly led to the identification of two suspects, who were brothers. One of the brothers, a 41-year-old from Taylor, turned himself in to the police. According to reports, he confessed that Stratford had been shot at their home and his body had been dumped in Ypsilanti. His 36-year-old brother was arrested in Detroit the same day.
The two brothers, Wesley Brown and Adam Brown, were subsequently charged in connection with Michael Stratford's death. Wesley Brown faced charges of open murder, disinterment, and mutilation of a dead body. Adam Brown was charged with disinterment and mutilation of a dead body, as well as being an accessory after the fact. During their arraignment in 23rd District Court, both men pleaded not guilty. Wesley Brown was held without bond, while Adam Brown received a bond set at $1 million.
