On a tragic evening in Clinton Township, Michigan, Emil Salem, a 50-year-old male Chaldean party store owner, was fatally shot during an armed robbery on March 26, 2015. The incident occurred at Bernie's Market, a business Salem had owned and operated for nearly two decades. The events of that night set in motion a multi-state investigation that would ultimately lead to the apprehension and conviction of three individuals responsible for his death.
The initial investigation at the scene
revealed that Salem had exchanged gunfire with his assailant. A trail of blood leading from the store indicated that the suspect had been wounded during the confrontation. This crucial piece of evidence prompted law enforcement to expand their search to include area hospitals. The search quickly led them to a hospital in Toledo, Ohio, where they located the primary suspect, 31-year-old Ujuan Burton of Oak Park. Burton was being treated for gunshot wounds sustained during the robbery.
Further investigation identified two other individuals involved in the crime. Shardae Burt, a 30-year-old woman from Detroit, was identified as the driver who transported Burton to the Ohio hospital in an attempt to evade capture. The third suspect, 30-year-old Albert McKinley of Detroit, was determined to be the getaway driver who waited for Burton as he committed the robbery.
Ujuan Burton, the man who shot Emil Salem, was eventually convicted of felony murder, armed robbery, and multiple firearms charges. For his role in the fatal robbery, he received a sentence of life in prison. Albert McKinley, the getaway driver, was found guilty of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Shardae Burt, who aided Burton in his attempt to flee, was convicted of accessory after the fact and was sentenced to serve one year in jail and five years of probation for her involvement.
