Man charged with murder of 'Chef Doug' Calhoun also accused of sex trafficking

DETROIT (WJBK) - A Detroit area chef was murdered after getting into an argument with an accused sex trafficker.

The case involves a 16-year-old girl being advertised on Backpage.com.  On Friday the suspect appeared in court to be charged looking puzzled and rattled. But it was not the charge of first degree murder that sent 27-year-old Travun Baskerville into panic mode.

"He seemed shocked as far as the human trafficking," said Officer James McDonald, Detroit police. "But he didn't seem shocked about the homicide at all."

He was arraigned on seven charges Friday including human trafficking enterprise involving death and human trafficking of a minor. Baskerville, a habitual offender, faced life in prison Friday for the murder of 39-year-old Doug Calhoun, lovingly known as "Chef Doug."

Calhoun's body found July 7th in an abandoned home on Detroit's Greydale Street.

"Unfortunately this victim lost his life over a disagreement," said McDonald.

Sources say Calhoun before he went missing in June answered an ad on Backpage. A then 16-year-old girl, who was apparently Baskerville's girlfriend, called Calhoun for a date. It's unsure if Calhoun knew her age.

Sources say after meeting the teen inside a home on Burgess Street that she and Baskerville shared, he and Baskerville began arguing over money.

Calhoun was shot several times in the torso and his body dumped for roughly over $50. Detroit police say Calhoun's phone records led them to the now 17-year-old and then, to Baskerville.

"He was a smooth talker when I talked to him, dancing around my questions," McDonald said. "Everything was denial and everything was everybody else's fault."

While Detroit police say that teen is cooperating, Calhoun's devastated family remains strong, ready to move forward.

Calhoun's cousin told FOX 2:

"My family has a sense of relief knowing this guy is behind bars and we are truly grateful for the DPD and confident the judicial system will be of great service, but personally I feel justice will NEVER be served as it will not bring back my cousin."

Now, as Baskerville sits in Ingham County Jail on unrelated extortion charges, Detroit police say, they believe that teen wasn't the first.

FOX 2: "Do you think there's more victims out there?"

"In my opinion yes," McDonald said. "I can see why he can smooth talk these young women. He was trying to smooth talk me."