Second suspect, posing as DTE employee, charged with murder in Rochester Hills

Second suspect charged in Rochester Hills murder

Carlos Hernandez, a 37-year-old Texas man, was charged with three felonies, including murder, after he was arrested in Louisiana and extradited back to Michigan. He is accused of killing a Rochester Hills man after posing as a DTE employee. A second 39-year-old man was charged earlier this month.

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI (FOX 2) – A second man has been charged with murdering a 72-year-old Rochester Hills man after he posed as a DTE utility worker in October.

Carlos Hernandez, a 37-year-old Texas man, appeared in court Friday on three counts of capital murder and false imprisonment. He is accused of killing Hussein “Sam” Murray and tying his wife with duct tape after he entered his home on October 11.

Prosecutors say Hernandez and Joshua Suazo, 39, entered the couple’s New Castle Drive home after saying they were investigating a gas leak.

Instead, they killed Murray in his basement before fleeing the house, the Oakland County prosecutor said.

Police used footage of the Ring doorbell to identify Hernandez, and he was taken into custody in Louisiana the next day.

In court on Friday, the 37-year-old suspect pleaded not guilty to all three charges. He was denied bail despite his lawyer arguing that Hernandez suffers from sleep apnea.

“He is a multi-state offender. He states that he resides outside of Michigan. He’s on trial for three felonies, including a capital offense, said Darla Finley, who works in pretrial services.

His next court date is set for November 4th.

Suazo also pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. He was arrested during a traffic stop in Plymouth. He will return to court on October 29.