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The investigation stalled, but didn’t stop. Update expected in 2018 Highland Park murder

Police identify suspect in 2018 Highland Park murder

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. – Police have identified a suspect in the 2018 murder of a Highland Park mother of six.

Emma Jean Davis, 58, was strangled to death in her bedroom on April 9, 2018. There were no signs of forced entry. The apartment had been ransacked and robbed.

This isn’t the first time police have identified a suspect in this case. Highland Park police sources have previously told Local 4 that the detectives on the case had DNA evidence and cell phone location data that placed a suspect at the scene.

In 2018, a case was sent to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and then sent back to Highland Park police for further investigation. The case was never re-submitted.

In 2021, Highland Park police and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office were blaming each other for not bringing a case against a suspect. Now, six years after Davis was killed, police and prosecutors have mended fences and expect an updated warrant request soon.

Davis’ family said they are being careful not to get too hopeful, because emotions for the family are still fragile.

Watch the video above for the full report.


About the Authors
Jason Colthorp headshot

Jason is Local 4’s utility infielder. In addition to anchoring the morning newscast, he often reports on a variety of stories from the tragic, like the shootings at Michigan State, to the off-beat, like great gas station food.

Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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