1971 — June 14, “Dope Den” “Execution Style” Shootings, Detroit, MI — 8

— 8 Duwe, Grant. Mass Murder in the United States: A History. McFarland, 2007, pp. 84-85.
— 8 Frederick Post, MD. “Eighth Victim of Massacre is Dead.” 6-21-1971, p. A2.
— 8 News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI. “Manhunt Extends Across Border.” 6-26-1971, p. 15.

Narrative Information

June 14: “Detroit (UPI)–Seven persons were fatally shot in the head at close range and an eighth critically wounded early today in what police called an ‘execution type’ mass murder believed to be related to Detroit’s reputed drug war. District Inspector James Bannon said a ‘variety of guns’ were used in the slayings of the victims, all of them found scattered around a living room. Some of the bodies were in chairs and three of the victims, all women, were bound with cord.

“It was the Detroit area’s worst mass murder in recent years, tying the grisly record set in 1965 when William G. Gravlin killed his wife and six children with an axe in their Troy home.

“….Lt. Charles Jackson…said three were men and four were women. All were black and young, he said. The wounded man was identified as Robert Gardner, 28, whose wife called police with the first report of the murder….

“Detroit’s homicide rate for the year soared to 316 with the multiple slaying. Inspector Robert Slottke, head of the homicide bureau, said he believes that narcotics was a motive in about 15 per cent of the homicides. He said Detroit had recorded about a half dozen ‘execution type’ murders prior to today’s multiple slaying. ‘It appears to be an execution type,’ said Boutin, ‘Perhaps related to drugs.’….

“Gardner had at least two gunshot wounds to the chest and was in critical condition…” (Holland Evening Sentinel, MI. “Seven Shot, 1 Survives ‘Executions.’” 6-14-1971, p. 1.)

June 21: “Detroit (AP) – Robert Gardner, 28, has become the eighth person to die as a result of an early-morning massacre last Monday as a suspected narcotics pad in Detroit’s inner city. Doctors at Ford Hospital said Gardner never regained consciousness after suffering gunshot wounds in the chest, head and stomach….” (The Post, Frederick, MD. “Eighth Victim of Massacre is Dead.” 6-21-1971, p. A2.)

June 26: “Detroit (AP) – Detroit police have asked Toronto authorities to help locate two suspected but unnamed narcotics dealers who have been implicated in the slaughter of eight persons in a Detroit dope den June 14. Police reportedly asked Toronto officials to step in after Gerald Williams, 28, was shot six times in a Detroit motel June 18. Williams, a frequent visitor and part-time resident of Toronto, had been selling heroin to two Toronto narcotics dealers, police believe….

“However, the Detroit Free Press has quoted sources who knew Williams as saying he was slain because he had fingered the main target of the earlier massacre, Robert L. Gardner, for death. Williams reportedly had been feuding with Gardner over deals with the two Toronto heroin dealers, the Free Press said. Sources said the two Toronto dealers paid professional gunmen to kill Gardner, who was a heroin dealer and a pimp, the Free Press said.

“The seven persons killed with Gardner – identified as three narcotics dealers and four prostitutes – were killed to prevent them from identifying the assassins, police believe. Williams was presumably killed to keep him from talking, according to the Free Press.” (News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI. “Manhunt Extends Across Border.” 6-26-1971, p. 15.)

Sources

Duwe, Grant. Mass Murder in the United States: A History. McFarland, 2007.

Frederick Post, MD. “Eighth Victim of Massacre is Dead.” 6-21-1971, p. A2. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=14440282&sterm=robert+gardner+detroit

Holland Evening Sentinel, MI. “Seven Shot, 1 Survives ‘Executions.’” 6-14-1971, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/holland-evening-sentinel/1971-06-14?tag=murder+detroit+drug+execution&rtserp=tags/?psi=52&pci=7&ndt=ex&pd=14&py=1971&pm=6&pep=murder&plo=detroit-drug-execution

News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI. “Manhunt Extends Across Border.” 6-26-1971, p. 15. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/benton-harbor-news-palladium/1971-06-26/page-15?tag=robert+gardner&rtserp=tags/?psi=52&pci=7&ndt=ex&py=1971&pm=6&pep=robert-gardner&psb=date