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VERDICT: DTE impostors guilty of murder by jury
Both Joshua Zuazo and Carlos Hernandez were found guilty in the murder of Hussein Murray in his Rochester Hills home.
FOX 2 - After only a couple hours of deliberation, two guilty verdicts were reached in the fake DTE worker Rochester Hills murder case on Friday.
Both Carlos Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo were found guilty by the jury on all three counts of first degree felony murder and two counts of unlawful imprisonment.
The backstory:
The victim, Hussein Murray, was killed after letting in two men posing as utility workers checking a gas leak at his home on Newcastle Drive in Rochester Hills on October 11, 2024.
In an unusual move, both defendants had separate trials in the same room with separate juries. Testimony was heard this past week spanning four days.
Murray owned a jewelry store in Hamtramck as well as a pawn shop. He led the fake utility workers to the basement where the ensuing struggle happened, and never returned.
His wife, Linda Murray, claimed that Hernandez repeatedly asked her where the money, safe and jewelry was. When she asked the men about where her husband was, she says Zuazo told her "he was asleep."
She said she then saw blood on his vest and screamed. She claimed Hernandez struck her when covering her mouth, asking her to be quiet. She was then bound with duct tape.
Items were then taken from the house by the suspects including jewelry and cash.
Friday testimony - text messages, cause of death
Deputy chief medical examiner Dr. Shauna Bryan said that the cause of death for Hussein Murray was asphyxia due to compression of the neck with the manner of death homicide.
Mr. Murray suffered blows to the back of the head as well and had two fractures of a bone in the throat - the hyoid bone.
Hussein Murray (Photo courtesy of Murray family)
"So the cause of death I've listed here is neck compression, but there is also a mechanism of death," she said. "Just because you break the hyoid bone doesn't mean you die from that. What he actually died from, is asphyxia.
"This is the mechanism of death. Asphyxia in the lightest terms, you compress the neck, and the jugular veins and carotid arteries which bring blood to the head
and from the head, are compressed.
"This is where the asphyxia occurs, it takes only 11 pounds of pressure to do that which is basically the weight of your head. The reason I know the cause of death is compression is because the hyoid bone is fractured."
Text messages from Hernandez's wife to Hernandez were revealed as well on Friday.
In one message she mentioned what may have been counterfeit DTE material.
"The badges were delivered. Your account is still negative."
Other missives between the two showed her worried about what he was about to do, including asking him "what if he's not home?" to which he replied "He will be."
In yet another message, she said "I'm so nervous but you guys seem to have it down. I feel better now that you have a good getaway car."
Evidence in court
The prosecution said the DNA from both defendants were found on the zip-ties used on Hussein Murray in the basement.
They also found both to have traces of his blood on their clothes.
A Southwest Detroit graphic artist business owner testified he made the magnetic DTE signs that were used on the work van used in the ruse.
Video was shown from inside the business showing a man who appeared to look like Hernandez with a woman who is allegedly his wife, picking up the order.
The store owner said he went to the authorities to "clear his name" after being horrified by the reports.
Oakland County Sheriff's Office Detective Jesse Hagland testified he conducted a search warrant said the same two magnetic signs were then found under the couch cushions inside the Lincoln Park home where Hernandez's mother-in-law lived.
He also testifed that inside a trash bag was found the documents with DTE lettering that can be seen on a clipboard in Ring video footage shows the fake worker displayed on the front porch.
Defense arguments
Zuazo's attorney Michael McCarthy pointed blame to Hernandez talking about his money problems and the fact he wanted to buy a new house with his wife of only one year.
He also questioned video from inside a Lowe's showing what appeared to be Hernandez and Zuazo buying duct tape and zip-ties in self-checkout, was that the video evidence was inconclusive and not Zuazo.
McCarthy also questioned about the identification of Zuazo by Linda Murray who was traumatized and "adopted an understanding but was simply mistaken" that someone else was with Hernandez during the home invasion.
In the meantime, Hernandez's attorney Paulette Loftin shifted the blame to Zuazo saying that Hernandez's clothing did not have much blood on it, as opposed to Zuazo whose clothing had more on it.
Joshua Zuazo, left, Carlos Hernadez
When Linda Murray was restrained and had a hand in her face, there was no blood on his hands, the defense argued.
If Mr. Hernandez had done the assault on Mr. Murray there would have been more blood on him," Loftin said.
In the text messages an argument was made about elaborate larceny but nothing about murder.
"They went in with fake DTE (elements), duct tape and zip-ties - death was not the probable consequence of those actions," she said.
Also the six pounds of force it would take to cause the neck injury, could have been done by the smaller suspect, Zuazo, she said.
What's next:
Bond has been denied for both and their sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 9.
Loftin attempted to move Hernandez's sentencing date to not coincide with Zuazo's but Judge Yasmine Poles denied the request.
The Source: Information for this story is from previous reporting and court coverage Friday.