By Erika Hernandez
A 27-year-old man faces first-degree murder charges after being linked weeks later to the brutal murder of three elderly adults in a home in Detroit, Michigan. The victims were attacked with a hammer and a knife.
The defendant, Lance Clowney II, 27, was formally charged with the murder of three elderly men on February 17 in Detroit, Michigan, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
The victims were identified as Impress Barnett (65), Norman Hamlin (66) and Williams Barrett (72). The three were attacked inside a home located in the 3100 block of Edsel Street.
Hits with a hammer and wounds with a knife
Authorities maintain that Clowney repeatedly hit the victims with a hammer and a knife, causing fatal injuries before fleeing the scene.
The bodies were found the next day in the basement of the house, after the wife of one of the victims reported them missing.
Investigators indicated that the crime occurred inside the home, where evidence of an extremely violent scene was found.
The case took a turn when a fourth man, who was also in the house, reported having been attacked by an individual armed with a hammer.
That testimony allowed authorities to link Clowney to the homicides weeks later.
The suspect was initially detained for that attack and, at the time of his arrest, was allegedly carrying a hammer, a baseball bat and several phones.
Criminal history and charges
Clowney has a history of serious crimesincluding armed robbery, carjacking and weapons possession.
He had been released from prison in January 2025 after serving time for some of these crimes.
He now faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. A judge denied him bail, considering him a threat to the community.
Detroit police said the victims were “brutally attacked” inside the home, where traces of blood were found in multiple areas.
The defendant is scheduled to appear in court on April 8 for a probable cause hearing, followed by a preliminary hearing on April 15.
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