Detroit Police Chief James Craig says Detroit police will catch two women wanted in the murder of an auto parts store manager who was killed Wednesday night.
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Craig began his news conference by offering condolences to the family of the victim, detailing his long service to the community.
"They lost a loving husband, a dad, retired from General Motors. A distinguished military veteran who served in Vietnam and also served with the Detroit Police Department in the late 1970s as a Detroit Police Reserve," Craig said. "I'm talking about James Waldo Haller Jr., a hero, working her at the O'Reilly's as a manager, and, again the unthinkable took place."
Haller's wife, Patricia Haller, spoke during the news conference, thanking the police department for their efforts, before addressing the suspects in the case.
"I want to say to you young ladies," Patricia Haller said, "turn yourself in, turn yourself in, because God gonna get you, if the police don't. God gonna get you. You gotta pay for what you did. You took a father away, you took a husband away. We love our family, we stick together. The children miss their dad, the children miss their dad and I miss my husband. Turn yourself in, just turn yourself in, because you did not have to shoot him in the head, you didn't have to shoot him period. You understand me, you didn't have to shoot him. You didn't have to shoot him!"
Patricia Haller then broke down, sobbing at the loss of her husband.
Craig said Haller was just doing his job as the manager of the store, when he realized something was wrong and went to help the other employees and "came across a robbery in progress."
"Two female suspects, one armed with a handgun, fired a single shot, striking Mr. Haller unsensible, unnecessary, cowardly," is how Craig described what happened next.
Speaking to the suspects, Craig said, "As I like to say, we're going to find you, and not only are we going to find you, we're going to arrest you, so do yourself a favor, turn yourself in. People know who you are, we're getting tips, it's just a matter of time. Save our time. We're relentless and we're going to arrest you."
Craig says they are looking for two witnesses in the case, including a man who bumped into one of the suspects.
The first suspect is described as an African American woman, believed to be between 25 and 35-years-old, with a medium brown complexion, standing 5'8", with a heavy build and long curly hair, wearing a blue jean jacket with a distinctive design on the front, a white shirt and red or burgundy colored pants and armed with a weapon.
The second suspect is described as an African American woman, believed to be between 25 and 35-years-old, with a medium brown complexion, standing 5'7", wearing a black jacket with fur trim around the hood of the collar and dark colored jeans.
They were seen leaving the scene in an older model burgundy Chevy Suburban with a broken rear right window that was covered by clear plastic duct taped to the vehicle. The license plate number is not known.
O'Reilly Auto Parts is offering a $10,000 reward and Crime Stoppers is offer a $2,500 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call either 1 800 SPEAK UP or 313-596-2260.
