Man's body found in abandoned basement on Detroit's east side

DETROIT (WJBK) - A killer is still on the loose six months after a man was found shot to death in the basement of a vacant home. 

The body was found the morning of May 12, 2017 in the 14000 block of Park Grove, which is near E McNichols Road and Gratiot Avenue on Detroit's east side. A 51-year-old man had been shot multiple times. However, investigators believe he wasn't killed in the basement. 

"He received several gunshot wounds throughout his body - head, back, arm - all throughout his body. At last count, eight," says Detroit Police Sgt. Danny Barbee. "Appears he may have been there for one to two days. It was an anonymous call that came in, that initially said he was shot and dumped in a dumpster, then took him out of the dumpster and put him into where we found him, which was a vacant house."

Police have identified the victim as James Mills. Police say he didn't have any family in the area. Although he lived in Warren, Mills spent much of his time in this Detroit neighborhood. Right now, police don't know for sure, but say it appears this incident may have been drug related.

"Nothing he could have done in life to deserve being dumped in a trash can like trash," says Sgt. Barbee. "Rage, or a crime of some revenge ,or hatred to it as well."

Investigators don't know exactly where Mills was killed, or where he was last seen before his death. Most of the houses here in the 14000 block of Park Grove are vacant, which has also made it difficult for police to develop any leads.

If you have any information that can help police, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. You will remain anonymous.