Pictured: Fake Michigan Utility Worker Accused of Murdering Man, Tying Up His Wife in Horrifying Home Invasion

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Carlos Jose Hernandez
Carlos Jose Hernandez, 37, was captured Saturday driving down I-49 in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, according to the sheriff’s office. Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office

The mugshot for one of the men accused of posing as a fake Michigan utility worker and murdering an elderly man while tying up his wife during a horrifying home invasion has been released.

Carlos Jose Hernandez, 37, was captured Saturday driving down I-49 in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, according to the sheriff's office.

He will be extradited back to Michigan on charges of murder and unlawful imprisonment.

On Thursday, Hernandez and an accomplice allegedly posed as a pair of utility workers investigating a gas leak at the Rochester Hills, Michigan, home belonging to 72-year-old Hussein Murray and his 72-year-old wife, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

The couple spoke with the suspects through their Ring doorbell camera, but did not allow them in. The suspects returned the next morning, and this time, the Murrays let them in.

After convincing Hussein to sign a piece of paper purportedly from DTE Energy, the victim escorted his alleged killers to the basement.

Shortly after, the suspects came back upstairs and allegedly bound Hussein's wife at the wrists and ankles using duct tape. They allegedly struck her when she screamed for help, officials said.

The suspects purportedly searched the house and stole the woman's phone and watch before fleeing.

She managed to call 911, and her husband was found dead in the basement, also bound with duct tape.

"This was a gruesome attack on an elderly couple in their home," Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a statement. "I have authorized the highest charge which carries a mandatory life without parole sentence for this brutal crime. My office will work diligently to ensure that this individual is held accountable and that the public is safe from violent predators."

Authorities believe Hussein, the owner of Gold & Glitter Jewelry in Hamtramck, Michigan, was targeted, according to WXYZ-TV.

The Murrays issued a statement confirming the family patriarch's death.

"My grandfather was a man with a heart of gold, who treated all those around him with kindness and compassion. He has made a lasting impact with our family and community, and I'm beyond proud to call him my grandfather. I am eternally grateful for the support the community has shown our family in this difficult time. We are also grateful for the Oakland County Sheriff's Department's tireless work in seeking justice for my grandfather, and compassion for our grieving process. We are heartbroken by the news of his death, but our family will bond through this with the resolve he has instilled in us by being the man he was."

The hunt for Hernandez's accomplice continues.

Tags
Murder, Michigan, Arrested, U.S. Crime
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