{"id":404257,"date":"2026-07-19T10:20:16","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T10:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/404257\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T10:20:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T10:20:16","slug":"reported-homicides-mid-year-2026-in-oakland-county-up-or-down-from-last-year-the-oakland-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/404257\/","title":{"rendered":"Reported homicides mid-year 2026 in Oakland County: Up or down from last year? \u2013 The Oakland Press"},"content":{"rendered":"

Midway through 2026, 10 people died in reported homicides in Oakland County \u2014 down 28% compared to the same period in 2025 when 14 people were killed by others.<\/p>\n

Pontiac leads the county with four cases, followed by Farmington Hills with two. Other Oakland County communities where a homicide occurred this year as of June 30 include Commerce Township, Hazel Park, Southfield and Waterford Township.<\/p>\n

In the Commerce Township case, the victim\u2019s body was found in the parking lot of a state recreation area. The Hazel Park case is still under investigation as a possible self-defense fatal shooting. The Southfield case involved a security guard who fired multiple times at a woman after she reportedly walked toward him, pointed a handgun at him and refused to put it down as requested, officials said. The Waterford Township case was a police-related fatal shooting that reportedly happened following a pursuit by Michigan State Police troopers.<\/p>\n

In 2025, there were 30 reported homicides for the year\u00a0 \u2014 a 30% increase from 2024 \u2014 based on information from the Oakland County Sheriff\u2019s Office and other law enforcement agencies. Two of the dead were children, boys ages 5 and 12. The oldest were in their 90s.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the number of homicides are down year over a year, one homicide is one too many. We remain committed to solving violent crime, in fact, we have 100% closure rate over the last year and a half of the homicides that have occurred in the City of Pontiac,\u201d said Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. \u201cHowever, society as a whole must find a way to resolve conflict in nonviolent ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a list of Oakland County\u2019s 2026 homicide cases as of June 30, starting with the most recent:<\/p>\n

Ana Nikollbibaj<\/p>\n

Nikollbibaj, 78, died June 30, after being shot in the head and bludgeoned with a metal pry bar at her home in Farmington Hills, police said.<\/p>\n

Her grandson, Zeff Nikollbibaj, 34, is charged with first-degree homicide and felony firearm for the death. He lived with his grandmother at her home in the 30000 block of Middlebelt Road, along with his brother, police said. The brother had called 911 reporting the attack, police said.<\/p>\n

\"mugshot\"Zeff Nikollbibaj booking photo<\/p>\n

Officers found Ana Nikollbibaj on her bedroom floor with severe head trauma and lacerations. A spent firearm shell was found near her body, officials said. She was transported to Crowell Health Farmington Hills where she was pronounced dead. Zeff Nikollbibaj is to undergo a court-ordered competency evaluation and is scheduled for a review hearing in September.<\/p>\n

\"patrolfile photo
\nZaire Keshon Ruffin<\/p>\n

Zaire Keshon Ruffin, 20, of Detroit, was fatally shot at a party in Hazel Park on May 29.<\/p>\n

Officials said it may have been in self-defense during a robbery at a short-term rental home located at 23401 Powell Avenue. Police Chief William Hamel said it\u2019s alleged Ruffin had pointed a gun and stole a watch from a person at the party.\u00a0 A 21-year-old man, believed to have fired the shot that killed Ruffin, was taken into custody and later released.<\/p>\n

A 19-year-old woman from Pontiac was also shot and survived.<\/p>\n

Hamel told The Oakland Press that an investigation has not been completed.<\/p>\n

Brian Keith Washington Jr.<\/p>\n

Washington, 25, was found shot about 10 p.m. May 24 in the bedroom of his mother\u2019s home in Pontiac, on the 300 block of Central Avenue between South Sanford Street and in the area of South Boulevard East and Woodward Avenue.<\/p>\n

The Oakland County Sheriff\u2019s Office said an arrest has been made but declined to provide more information citing an ongoing investigation into an additional suspect or suspects.<\/p>\n

\"patrol<\/p>\n

Stephen Frye \/ MediaNews Group<\/p>\n

file photo
\nMadison Heights man<\/p>\n

A 60-year-old Madison Heights man whose name has not been released was fatally shot by police on May 14 in Waterford Township after officials said he pointed a handgun at officers and refused to drop it.<\/p>\n

According to Waterford Police Chief Scott Underwood, officers were called to assist state police troopers who had pursued a fleeing suspect. The man subsequently crashed his car into a tree near Turrillium Lane and Williams Lake Road. Waterford police declined to release the man\u2019s name, referring The Oakland Press to Michigan State Police. MSP didn\u2019t respond to a request for more information.<\/p>\n

Richard Alan Harris<\/p>\n

Harris, 65, found dead May 3 on a trail at Woodland Hills Park in Farmington Hills.<\/p>\n

\"park\"Woodland Hills Park in Farmington Hills where Richard Harris’s body was found (Aileen Wingblad\/MediaNews Group)<\/p>\n

He\u2019d been bludgeoned and strangled during the daytime hours, according to Meaghan Harris, an Oakland County assistant prosecutor.<\/p>\n

\"mugshot\"<\/p>\n

Oakland County Jail<\/p>\n

Gabriel Bercea booking photo<\/p>\n

More than a month later \u2014 on June 8 \u2014police arrested Gabriel Bercea, 23, of Farmington Hills at his work place in Wixom. He\u2019s facing a second-degree murder charge for the death. His next court date is July 22 for a pre-exam conference.<\/p>\n

Monique Taylor<\/p>\n

Taylor, 57, died April 18 after she was fatally stabbed at a home in Pontiac, allegedly by her boyfriend\u2019s son.<\/p>\n

Sheriff\u2019s deputies responding to a call found her lying on a bedroom floor bleeding from multiple stab wounds. She died at an area hospital a short time later. Deveon Latrell Cole, 23, is charged with first-degree premeditated homicide for her death. Cole lived in the home with Taylor and his father.<\/p>\n

\"mugshot\"Deveon Cole booking photo<\/p>\n

Cole is scheduled for a preliminary exam on Aug. 14.<\/p>\n

Kevonte Javon Smith<\/p>\n

Smith, 28, was shot to death during an apparent robbery attempt in Pontiac on April 11.<\/p>\n

His accused killer, Jonathan Mack, 37, is a felon who was on probation at the time of the shooting. Smith and Mack knew each other, officials said.<\/p>\n

\"mugshot\"<\/p>\n

Oakland County Jail<\/p>\n

Jonathan Mack booking photo<\/p>\n

According to the sheriff\u2019s office, deputies were dispatched to the 100 block of Crystal Lake Drive in Pontiac at around 2:15 p.m. April 11 for a reported shooting and found Smith lying on the driveway with a gunshot wound to the back. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Mack fled but was arrested approximately three hours later.<\/p>\n

Mack is charged with homicide, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, discharging a firearm at or in a building, carrying a concealed weapon, and three counts of possession of a firearm while in the commission of a felony, also known as felony firearm.<\/p>\n

Andre Sontay Avant Jr.<\/p>\n

The body of Avant, 19, of Inkster, was discovered Feb. 16 in the Proud Lake State Recreation Area near the boat launch off Wixom Road in Commerce Township. He was shot to death.<\/p>\n

\"mugshot\"<\/p>\n

Oakland County Jail<\/p>\n

Stephan Shaw booking photo
\n\"mugshot\"<\/p>\n

Oakland County Jail<\/p>\n

Dshaun Hatton-Street booking photo<\/p>\n

Stephan Shaw, 18, of Taylor, and Dshaun Hatton-Street, 19, of Romulus, face charges of open murder and felony firearm. They\u2019re due back in court on July 27 for a continuation of their preliminary exams.<\/p>\n

\"parkOne of Proud Lake State Recreation Area’s entrances off Wixom Road (Aileen Wingblad\/MediaNews Group)
\nAlexandra Fields<\/p>\n

Fields, 33, of Detroit, died Jan. 10 after she was shot multiple times in the parking lot of Bloom Southfield, a lounge on Southfield Road near 10 Mile Road.<\/p>\n

According to police, prior to the shooting Fields was involved in a fight with several family members in the parking lot where one woman sustained a head injury.<\/p>\n

A Bloom security guard had approached the group to assist the injured woman when Fields walked toward him and threatened him with a 9mm handgun. She refused to put down the gun as requested and continued toward the security guard with the gun raised and pointed at him.<\/p>\n

\"business\"TNS photo<\/p>\n

The security guard then fired his 9mm handgun eight times, hitting Fields and the injured woman. Both women were transported to an area hospital where Fields was pronounced dead.<\/p>\n

Oakland prosecutors declined to press charges against the security guard.<\/p>\n

Cornelius Murphy Jr.<\/p>\n

Murphy, 19, of Warren, was found fatally shot in Pontiac on Jan. 8 \u2014 Oakland County\u2019s first reported homicide of 2026. He suffered a gunshot wound to the chest.<\/p>\n

Murphy\u2019s body was discovered on Jan. 8 near a home in the 100 block of North Jessie Street; a caller had reported seeing a man lying in a field and not breathing, the sheriff\u2019s office said. Investigators said the shooting happened the day before.<\/p>\n

\"man\"Kqualin Douglas booking photo<\/p>\n

Kqualin Isaac Douglas, 20, of Pontiac turned himself in to Oakland sheriff\u2019s deputies on Jan. 26. He\u2019s charged with second-degree murder charge as well as tampering with evidence, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and felony firearm.<\/p>\n

Douglas is scheduled for trial on Oct. 12 in Oakland County Circuit Court.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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