Two in custody in connection with Detroit teen Lawrence Dowl after last week's disappearance

DPD: Two in custody in case of missing teen found dead

Two persons-of-interest were arrested in connection with 15-year-old Lawrence Dowl's death.

(FOX 2) - On Monday, Detroit police offered a major update in the case of a dead 15-year-old who went missing last week.

Two individuals are now in custody in connection with the death of Lawrence Dowl, who disappeared on the city's west side. 

What we know:

Two people are in custody in connection with the death of a 15-year-old Detroit teen that was found dead at a west side cemetery last week.

Both suspects, identified as adults in their 20s or 30s, were arrested days after Lawrence Dowl's body was discovered. The teen had gone missing days earlier after entering a white SUV and disappearing.

Chief Todd Bettison mentioned the update in the case following a police press conference on Monday.

He added both had a "shady background" but did not provide any more details about their involvement in the case - other than telling media that Dowl had been hanging out with both individuals before he was found dead.

"We have individuals - not just teens - but individuals in their 20s and 30s that are out there gang banging and they need to know that we are not going to tolerate," Bettison said. "That I will bring the heaviest prosecution from the US attorney on a fed level, state level, however I can get you. If I can’t get you for the case itself, we charge you for the bullets and the guns."

The backstory:

Dowl went missing last week after leaving his family home in Detroit. 

Both Detroit police and Michigan State Police spent last Thursday afternoon searching a park for evidence of Dowl, but had no luck. Then, late Thursday night, someone visiting a cemetery near 7 Mile and Lahser spotted a body and called 911.

Police later confirmed the body to be Dowl's, adding he was wearing a ski mask and gloves.

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What we don't know:

The first person-of-interest in police custody turned themselves in shortly after Dowl's body was found, Bettison said. The second individual was arrested on Saturday.

Those are the only details the Detroit police chief mentioned on Monday. Dowl's cause of death remains among the mysteries around the case. 

However, he did mention cracking down on gun violence and gang activity in Detroit.

"I have a 6-year-old - this is little Rylee. When I have a little Samir Grubbs, a 4-year-old getting shot and killed in Detroit, when I have that, I’m going to utilize every resource," Bettison said, "and so the US attorney has been steadfast and has dedicated additional attorneys to go after gun violence, and gangs in the City of Detroit and that’s what we’re going to do."