ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) — One suspect was wearing a mask while the other was hiding in the background as they rang the doorbell of the Murray family home in Rochester Hills. However, their attempt to conceal identities didn’t stop them both from being caught in a matter of days.
Now, 37-year-old Carlos Hernandez and 39-year-old Joshua Zuazo, both from Dearborn, are facing charges for murder and unlawful imprisonment. They allegedly pretended to be DTE utility workers looking for gas leaks to gain access to the home in a planned robbery attempt.
Watch our previous report when Hernandez was charged in the video below:
Austin Rogers' parents live near the home in the house he grew up in.
“Definitely a relief for the street and also for the city and the entire area,” Rogers said of the arrests, which he noted happened quicker than he expected. “I was very surprised and very happy they were off the streets and very happy they were charged with what they’re charged with.”
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In the attempted robbery, the two men are accused of killing the 72-year-old homeowner Hussein Murray. According to the prosecutor, Murray’s wrists and legs were found duck taped. His 72-year-old wife was also duck taped upstairs as the suspects demanded she tell them where they kept the jewelry and cash. At one point, Hernandez allegedly hit her when she screamed.
Investigators believe the family was targeted because they owned a pawn shop and jewelry store in Hamtramck. They say there's no indication the Murray's knew the two suspects.
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“We believe it was not random, it was focused on this family, this house. For what reason? We think at this point, without different information, it was because they were small business owners," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "We've seen that kind of targeting on jewelry stores and cash-driven businesses in the past, so that's our working thought at this point.”
While Hernandez was arrested in Louisiana, Zuazo was arrested in Plymouth Township. Bouchard says getting the Ring doorbell video out to the public was crucial in tracking down the suspects.
WATCH: Scene video of man arrested in Louisiana after alleged murder in Rochester Hills (courtesy KTBS in Shreveport)
“Those images really started bringing tips in because he was very recognizable even with the mask,” Bouchard said. "We got some information and the breadcrumbs kind of led us to different addresses or houses or potential cars, and one thing led to another on both these folks.”
Zuazo will appear in Rochester Hills court on Friday for his arraignment, which is scheduled for 1:15 pm.
