Wayne County Prosecutors Dismiss Murder Case After Suspect Dies

DETROIT, MI — Wayne County prosecutors announced Wednesday they dismissed a triple homicide case after their prime suspect died by suicide after barricading himself inside a home on Detroit's west side with two hostages.

Thomas Michel Curry, 38, of Detroit, was charged Tuesday with three counts of first-degree murder, second-degree arson and three counts of felony firearms in connection with the fatal shootings of three people on Helen Street in Detroit in June, prosecutors said.

Detroit police officers found Curry dead Wednesday morning from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, prosecutors said. He had gone back-and-forth with officers during a standoff that last more than 30 hours, at one point with two hostages.

Read More: Standoff In Detroit Ends After More Than 30 Hours

Prosecutors said Curry's charged stemmed from a June 11 shooting. Detroit police and fire crews were called to a home in the 19100 block of Helen Street in Detroit where they found three people burned beyond recognition, prosecutors said.

Investigation determined that the three bodies were all men — ages 50, 34 and 45, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said Curry shot and killed the men before setting fire to the home.

Early Tuesday morning, Redford police officers tried to pull over a vehicle driven by Curry after he drove through a red traffic signal near Five Mile and Telegraph roads, prosecutors said.

Curry drove to a house in the 15300 block of Iliad where, while being pursued by police he fired a gun in the air and broke into the home.

Two people were in the home at the time and were taken hostage, prosecutors said. One was released Tuesday evening, while the other escaped early Wednesday morning while Curry was asleep.

Curry confessed to the Helen Street killings while barricaded, prosecutors said.