Suspect in homicide of 3 found dead in burning vehicle in Detroit charged with gun crime
A suspect in the murder of three people who were found dead in a burning vehicle in Detroit early Sunday morning has been charged with a gun crime.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Monday, Edward Redding has been charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Detroit police said Monday that a person of interest had been taken into custody but did not identify the suspect by name.
On Sunday, Detroit fire crews responded to a vehicle fire at the intersection of 30th Street and Milford Street at about 5:54 a.m. Police have not identified the three victims found in the burning vehicle.
Redding has a criminal history. He was convicted in February 2011 of carjacking, armed robbery and felony firearm in Wayne County and sentenced to 11 to 22 years in prison. Redding was paroled on July 9, 2024.
A criminal complaint compiled by a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) details how investigators identified Redding as a suspect in the three murders.
According to the complaint, detectives identified a silver 2009 Saturn Vue, which is registered to Redding, as having been driving in tandem with the victim's vehicle about 25 minutes before a 911 call was placed reporting the burning vehicle. The Saturn was reportedly seen leaving the area 18 minutes after the 911 call.
Officials say Detroit police later located the Saturn in River Rouge, but it was able to evade officers. A Michigan State Police trooper spotted the vehicle traveling southbound on I-75 on the Rouge River Bridge.
"The trooper then attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the silver Saturn, however it accelerated away fleeing from the trooper," the criminal complaint said. "The silver Saturn started to take the exit for north Schaefer Hwy, before veering back onto I-75 southbound at the last second, driving through the shoulder to do so. The silver Saturn then passed a car in the right lane by driving on the shoulder and took the next exit for south Shaefer Hwy, driving approximately 50 mph through the tight corners on the exit ramp."
Redding allegedly ran two red lights after exiting onto Shaefer and nearly struck another vehicle while turning southbound into the northbound lanes of Fort Street. He eventually crashed into a median and ran away from the Saturn. He was arrested by troopers a short distance from his vehicle.
During a search of the vehicle, investigators found a "black Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver in a brown bag on the front passenger side floor. Investigators also found documents with Redding's name inside a passenger compartment.
While being interviewed by investigators, Redding reportedly said he bought the Saturn after he was released.
"Redding initially stated he ran from the police because he's on parole, and claimed he didn't know the gun was in the car," according to the criminal complaint. "However, Redding then later admitted to seeing the gun on the floor of the car and agreed with detectives that the gun was why he fled from the police."
Redding told investigators that he planned to return the gun to "whoever put it in his car," and admitted to detectives that he "touched the gun when he tried to push it under the seat, and therefore his DNA would likely be on the gun."
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1-800-773-2587 or submit an anonymous tip here. A $5,000 reward is available, and tips can remain anonymous.