Two Michigan men, Carlos Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo, were sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of 72-year-old Hussein Murray, a jewelry store owner they tried to rob while posing as gas workers checking for leaks. The crime occurred in Murray’s upscale Rochester Hills home near Detroit.
Hernandez and Zuazo gained entry by pretending to be workers from DTE Energy. After an initial attempt failed when Murray’s wife mentioned a gun, they returned the next day, bound the wife with duct tape, and brutally beat Murray to death. The medical examiner reported multiple severe injuries, including a broken jaw and fractured throat bone, with neck compression as the cause of death.
During the trial, prosecutors presented text messages between Hernandez and his wife that revealed their motive of wanting to buy a home without rent and the planning behind the heist. Surveillance and body cam footage also played a crucial role.
At sentencing, Judge Yasmine Poles condemned their actions as cowardly, greedy, and profoundly lacking humanity. Murray’s sons spoke emotionally about the devastating loss inflicted by the attackers.
Hernandez and Zuazo fled in a stolen truck carrying jewelry taken from the home. Despite the brutality, both men declined to speak during sentencing. The judge highlighted how evidence meticulously tracked their crimes, leading to quick convictions by separate juries.
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