A Detroit woman returning from vacation had no idea she would soon be living a nightmare. Elauntra Sutton left her 4-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter in the care of her mother, Sandra Davis, and her sister, Kourtney Davis. Sutton tried contacting the women on her way home but could not get in touch with them. When she saw photos of a destroyed vehicle in a fire that looked like her mother’s, she knew something was wrong.
The terrified mother called her father to check on the situation, and he reportedly found the 4-year-old boy home alone. Sutton told Fox 2 she had seen the photos of the fire on the news, and it broke her heart.
“I don’t know to deal with any of this,” she said. “My mom and my sister – they were my main support system, and that’s my daughter.”
Witnesses reported a vehicle fire near Milford and 30th about 5:50 a.m. on April 6, 2025. Per Fox 2, the bodies inside were burned beyond recognition, but Sutton identified the victims as her family in a GoFundMe post. According to authorities, the child had stab wounds, and the women were shot before the vehicle fire.
Shortly after the fire, police used license plate reader footage to identify Edward Redding as the prime suspect, Fox 2 reported. Redding and Kourtney Davis reportedly dated prior to the killings. Surveillance showed Redding driving a Saturn Vue “in tandem” with the vehicle, later found torched. Police tracked the Vue’s registration to Redding.
They arrested him a short time later following a chase. Police allegedly found a handgun on Redding, a convicted felon barred from owning a firearm. Per Fox 2, he has a history of violent crime, including armed robbery and carjacking convictions.
Sutton told Fox 2, “He is on parole. She’s called the police on him. They removed him, but he would always find his way back.”
Redding remains in police custody as a suspect but has not been charged in the killings. Federal prosecutors charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. All additional charges would be at the state level.
Detroit Police Chief Tom Bettison reportedly called the crimes isolated, empathizing with citizens’ unrest.
“With a case like this, it upset me as well, and it upset our community, and it can create a sense of fear,” he said, per Fox 2.
Sutton shared the heartbreaking news of her family’s deaths on Facebook. “At this time, I am reaching out to share that the 3 bodies found in the car Sunday morning on 30th street are believed to be 2 adults and 1 child- my daughter, my sister, and my mother, although this has not been officially confirmed,” she wrote. “I kindly request that everyone refrain from calling me, as I have just as many questions as you do and I am still seeking answers. I appreciate the condolences and prayers.”
Additionally, she created a GoFundMe account to help with final expenses. She’s raised nearly $6,000 of her $13,000 goal thus far.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women’s shelter (domesticshelters.org).
