Suspect in fatal shooting of 4 in Livonia had "contentious relationship" with parents, police say

A Livonia man remains in police custody in the aftermath of a shooting that left his father, mother, brother and his brother's girlfriend dead in Livonia on Tuesday evening.

Livonia Police Chief Thomas Goralski said Wednesday morning that while the suspect remains in police custody, charges have not yet been filed. Goralski said officers will work with the Wayne County Prosecutor's office on that step, with charges possibly resulting on Thursday.

Until the man is in court, police will identify him only as a 25-year-old who lived in the house.

Court proceedings are expected to take place in the 16th District Court in Livonia. 

"This was absolutely a crime that occurred within the confines of this house," Goralski said. 

The victims were identified as Sterling Ray Pierce, 58, and Holly Marie Kimball, 53, who were the suspect's parents, along with his brother Tanner Pierce, 22. The girlfriend was identified as Nevaeh May Jaslynn Finch, 21, who lived in Warren but frequently stayed at the house, according to police. 

Goralski said the suspect has no known criminal history, and police had not previously been called to the home.

The police chief said they learned "there was a contentious relationship between the suspect and his parents," but have no information on any dispute or issues with the brother.

The shooting happened around 5:55 p.m. Tuesday at the family home on Rensellors Street, the Livonia Police Department said. 

When police arrived, they found a man walking outside the house. Officers said he told police that he fired a weapon at others. They took him into custody without further incident.  

Livonia police said they also recovered a weapon from the scene. 

The father and mother were found dead in the backyard; the brother and his girlfriend were found inside, the police chief said. Two victims were found in a bedroom, and the other two were found in the backyard. All were pronounced dead at the scene as a result of the gunshot injuries. 

There was also a dog inside the home at the time. The police chief did not know whether the animal had been injured.

"This is a tragic event for the city," Goralski said. Until a recent fatal stabbing took place, there had not been a homicide in Livonia for about three years.

Domestic Violence Resources: For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.

In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.