Husband named Person of Interest in wife's shooting death, 836 parakeets surrendered, murder-suicide in Troy

MONDAY NEWS HIT - Detroit police are following up on a gruesome Christmas Day discovery with a search for a 62-year-old man connected to the victims found dead in their home.

Dwayne McDonald, husband to Elaine Fizer, was named a person-of-interest by police after she and her 13-year-old daughter Daunya were found fatally shot inside their home on Prevost Street on Dec. 25. 

Their family was the first to find Fizer and her daughter after becoming worried they had not heard from them during the holidays.

"Christmas will never be the same," said a family member. 

"She just wanted to take care of Daunya … make sure nobody ever hurt her again," said Margaret Shively, Elaine's daughter and Daunya's sister.

Daunya was Elaine's adopted daughter. She had developmentally disabled after abuse she suffered as an infant. 

The family started a GoFundMe to help with the funeral costs of both Elaine and Daunya.

According to the family, Dwayne is on oxygen at all times. Anyone who sees someone that matches Dwayne's description or anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 1(800)Speak-Up.

He is considered to be armed and dangerous by police. 

He may be driving a gray Buick Lucerne.

Metro Detroit wakes to wintry mix

Although we didn't see snow on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, we're making up for it in a big way this morning. 

You're waking up to a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain. Mainly north of I-696, it's all snow this morning which is making the commute difficult. 

Along I-696 and south, it's a snow/slush mix, which is making things slippery as well. South of Detroit, it's a rain/freezing rain/sleet mix. Expect snowfall totals ranging from a trace (south of Detroit) to nearly 1" north of Detroit.

Our wintry mix should change to all rain by late morning and into the early afternoon with highs in the low/mid 40s. This evening's commute should be much better than this morning. Another round of snow is on the way Tuesday evening!

836 parakeets surrendered to Romeo animal shelter

The Detroit animal shelter that took in almost 500 parakeets last week said that a few hundred more were dropped off Sunday morning. "We thought 497 parakeets was alot …. Until they surrendered 339 more in boxes this afternoon," the Detroit Animal Welfare Group announced on Facebook.

The Romeo-based animal shelter originally said the son of an animal hoarder had called to say he was coming to surrender between 60 and 80 parakeets from his father's house. Instead, he arrived with several hundred in his truck.

But with the additional parakeets, the total is now 836. The group's director said the hoarding owner had wanted to breed a few of the birds. But parakeets breed fast, leading to the situation getting quickly out of control.  

"These birds came from a very unhealthy situation and the irresponsibility of the owner is infuriating," shelter officials wrote on Facebook. "However, it truly takes a village to help these animals and we are so thankful for everyone that works together to get them the care and proper homes they deserve." The birds have since been distributed to four groups: DAWG, Jojos Flying Friends, Birds and Beaks, and the East Michigan Bird Rescue. After the birds quarantine for 30 days, adoptions will begin on Jan. 23.

Pontiac man charged with felony murder, child abuse

A 23-year-old man from Pontiac has been charged with felony murder and child abuse in the death of his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter. Oakland County Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of an unconscious child on Dec. 18. She wasn't breathing.

Police escorted the child to the hospital before she died two days later at Detroit Children's Hospital. Hospital staff told the Oakland County Sheriff's Office that 3-year-old Aziya Matthews had multiple broken ribs in different stages of healing, multiple round wounds on her legs and torso consistent with cigarette burns, two black eyes, severe head trauma and a collapsed lung.

Shean Troy Amerson told deputies he was giving a client a haircut in the kitchen when he discovered the girl was unconscious. Her mother was at work at the time, according to a press release. 

Amerson has since been charged and is scheduled to appear in the 50th District Court on Jan. 4. He faces life in prison without parole. 

Troy police investigating domestic murder-suicide

Troy Police are investigating a potential murder suicide between family members.

Police were "almost immediately on scene," officers confirmed during an early Monday morning investigation. The scene was unfolding at a home on Lark Drive in Troy. 

Police declined to offer many details about what happened, but said a firearm was involved and a third family member was injured. Their condition is unknown.

A news release with more details will be put together Monday afternoon.   

What else we're watching

1. The Wayne County Sheriff and several other community members will join together at a news conference Monday at 10 a.m. to encourage and remind others about gun violence and the danger firearms pose on New Year's Eve. 
2. Metro Detroit should be ready for another round of snow Tuesday. The commute will be easier tonight as the snow melts. But more snow is on the way tomorrow.
3. Defense attorneys are seeking to dismiss an indictment against five men charged with conspiring to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, alleging that federal agents entrapped the suspects during their investigation. 
4. The Michigan Supreme Court is weighing whether to increase the fees that lawyers must pay to the state Bar association. A public comment period is currently open.
5. Wanda Young, a member of the Marvelettes has died at the age of 78. The former Motown star died in Garden City following complications with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 

Live on FOX 2

Daily Forecast

A Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect until mid-morning Monday as snow transitions to sleet and rain, making for slick driving conditions. Things will melt by the afternoon when temperatures rise into the 40s. 

Federal program offers up to $9,000 cash to reimburse COVID-19 funeral costs

When Wanda Olson’s son-in-law died in March after contracting COVID-19, she and her daughter had to grapple with more than just their sudden grief. They had to come up with money for a cremation.

Even without a funeral, the bill came to nearly $2,000, a hefty sum that Olson initially covered. She and her daughter then learned of a federal program that reimburses families up to $9,000 for funeral costs for loved ones who died of COVID-19.

Olson’s daughter submitted an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, received a deposit by June and was able to reimburse her mother the $1,974.

"Had this not been available, we would have been paying the money ourselves," said Olson, 80, of Villa Rica, Georgia. "There wasn’t any red tape. This was a very easy, well-handled process."

As of Dec. 6, about 226,000 people had shared in the nearly $1.5 billion that FEMA has spent on funeral costs that occurred after Jan. 20, 2020, the date of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. With the nation’s coronavirus death toll topping 800,000, it’s clear that many families who are eligible for reimbursement have yet to take advantage of the funeral benefit.

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