Livonia, MI: 3 dead, 1 hurt in apparent murder-suicide near Detroit

Police in Livonia, Mich., part of the Detroit metropolitan area, said three people were found dead in a house Wednesday afternoon in what appears to be a murder-suicide.

Police said officers responded to a 911 call and found two people had died from gunshot wounds and a third person had been beaten to death.

Livonia Police Lt. Thomas Goralski said the girl called Livonia police about 12:20 p.m. Wednesday, saying two people were dead and she was injured.

Goralski identified the killer as 19-year-old Brian D. White. The lieutenant says Burns killed 46-year-old Angela Staperfene and 19-year-old Jacob L. Burns with ax blows to the head.

People who identified themselves as friends of the victims said the 17-year-old girl had just broken up with her boyfriend and that he might have gone to the home in a rage.

"He was very controlling," said family friend Lisa Collins. "He tried contacting her several times but she didn't want to do it."

Collins said the ex-boyfriend went to the home on Wednesday, tied the girl up and tortured her. He then killed her mother and another man before turning the gun on himself, family friends say.

"She was tied up and brutally beaten," Collins said. "And he beat one and shot the other."

They girl managed to get away and make the 911 call. She was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover from her injuries.