In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Clinton Township, Michigan, a young man's attempt to be a peacemaker ended in tragedy. William 'Billy' Jedrzejek, a 22-year-old male, was in the parking lot of the Post Bar on Hayes Road on January 15, 2006, when he witnessed a dispute between a man and a woman. As he tried to intervene, gunshots rang out, and Jedrzejek fell, having been shot at least twice, once in the head and once in the back. He was rushed to St.
Joseph's Medical Center, but his wounds proved fatal.
The shooter fled the scene in a 2005 Mercury Mountaineer, which was later found by police. Witnesses identified the gunman as 26-year-old Edmond Dodaj. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and a reward was offered for information leading to his capture. Two days later, on a Tuesday afternoon, police located and arrested Dodaj at a home near 26 Mile and Schoenherr roads.
Macomb County prosecutors charged Dodaj with open murder, felony firearm possession, and domestic violence. The investigation revealed that the initial altercation was between Dodaj and his girlfriend. When Jedrzejek stepped in to help, Dodaj retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and opened fire. Following his arrest, Dodaj pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony firearm charges. On October 31, 2006, he was sentenced to 23 to 40 years in prison for the murder charge, with an additional two years for the firearm offense.
