DETROIT (WXYZ) — "They've been together off and on for four years, but it was always violent," said Ashante Gooden about her best friend, 26-year-old Quentin Degreaffenried, and a man he'd been dating.
RELATED: Detroit council staffer with promising future killed in apparent murder-suicide
Detroit Police tell 7 Action News that Quentin's estranged boyfriend, Deontez Jones, is a person of interest in his murder.
Quentin's grandmother, Rosa Hayes, said investigators believe he was beaten to death.
Quentin's body was found last week Monday in his apartment on Ewald Circle on Detroit's west side. It appeared he'd been dead for several days.
"My daughter Adrienne knocked on his window and she said flies was everywhere, and the smell that was coming out, I knew," said Rosa. "I just sat in the car and I knew."
Quentin had told Ashante and his grandmother if anything ever happened to him, it was Deontez. And the last day Ashante talked to Quentin, she said she heard Deontez in the background arguing.
Detroit Police said that while Deontez Jones is a person of interest in Quentin's murder, there was still not enough evidence to charge him or even arrest him in the case.
On Sunday, Westland Police said they found Deontez Jones dead in an apartment. Police said it appeared he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Detectives discovered Deontez's body a short time after they began investigating the murder of DeAndree Watson.
DeAndree, 30, worked for Detroit City Councilman James Tate and was considered a rising star in Detroit politics.
He was found dead inside his vehicle, not far from where Deontez's body was later found.
Westland Police declined to say how DeAndree was killed but they said they found his body while responding to an OnStar panic button notification.
Both Westland and Detroit Police said their investigations into the murders continues.
"He was a loving person, outgoing, full of life. So many people love him," said Ashante who had been desperately gathering information in Quentin's murder and sharing it with police when she learned that DeAndree Watson had been murdered.
Quentin's relatives believe all three men knew each other.
According to relatives, Quentin talked about a man connected to council but he only referred to him as "Dre" and they can't help but wonder if the motive for the murders are connected.
"I believe after today a lot of people will speak out," Rosa said. "A lot of people know more than what they're saying."
Anyone with information in the murder of Quentin Degreaffenried is urged to call Detroit Police at 313-596-2260.
Anyone with information on the murder of DeAndree Watson can call Westland Police at 734-722-9600
