Crime & Safety

Grosse Pointe Woods Police Investigate Death of St. Clair Shores Native as Homicide

Donald Lionel DeWulf, a 1976 graduate of Lakeview High School, was found dead in his home on the 2000 block of Hampton Road in Grosse Pointe Woods on Monday morning.

Grosse Pointe Woods police are investigating the Monday morning death of a local man as a homicide, department officials announced Tuesday.

Donald Lionel DeWulf, 54, was found dead in his home on the 2000 block of Hampton Road by a family member at approximately 9:40 a.m. Monday, according to a press release issued by Grosse Pointe Woods Police.

Grosse Pointe Woods Police Lt. John Ross said the Wayne County Prosecutor's office has taken the lead in the investigation and any further releases would be from their office.

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In an emailed statement to Patch, Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Maria Miller said, "The case is under investigation as a homicide and not a suicide. The police investigation is ongoing. Although it's natural for people to want information it is premature to comment. We would not want to adversely affect the investigation in any way."

Lt. Ross confirmed that no arrests had been made as of Wednesday morning. A press release by Woods police on Tuesday said that the suspect or suspects are “unknown.”

Find out what's happening in St. Clair Shoreswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A Tuesday night report on clickondetroit.com said that DeWulf had been shot in the head and was hanging from electrical wire in his bathroom.  DeWulf's family has disputed the report saying that he was found on the floor of his home.

Police were originally contacted with a report of a suicide but no weapon has been recovered, according to clickondetroit.com.

According to an obituary posted online, DeWulf was a 1976 graduate of Lakeview High School.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the Grosse Pointe Woods Detective Bureau at 313-343-2412.

This article was updated on Nov. 28 at 4:45 p.m.


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