News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2003

Detroit Homicide Task Force Provides Kent County Authorities with Valuable Leads That Help Solve Drug Related Murder

MAY 5--Detroit, MI - The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit Police Department and the Michigan State Police Homicide Task Force has recently solved several drug-related homicides in the City of Detroit. One such investigation also uncovered vital information that was shared with the Kent County Sheriff's Department that should help solve an execution-style homicide in the Grand Rapids area. The Homicide Task Force was investigating the drug-related murders of Michael Moore and Larry Rodgers that occurred on September 18, 2002 and October 26, 2002 in the City of Detroit, when leads were developed on a Kent County homicide.

On February 19, 2003, members of the Detroit Homicide Task Force executed a search warrant at 11030 Courville Street in Detroit, Michigan. Investigators had information that weapons involved in the murders of Moore and Rodgers were inside the residence and the occupant, Edward Johnigan, may have been involved in the murders. As officers entered the residence, Johnigan fled to the basement and fired a gun at officers. Johnigan barricaded himself in the basement and refused to surrender. After DEA Group Supervisor Greg Anderson negotiated with Johnigan, he subsequently surrendered.

Investigators recovered two AK-47 assault weapons, one .30 caliber carbine rifle and one .40 caliber pistol. Evidence indicated that Johnigan had fired at Agents with the .40 caliber pistol. Johnigan was arrested and charged with the drug-related murders of Larry Rodgers and Michael Moore. Johnigan was additionally charged with four counts of attempted murder on police officers, four counts of felon in possession of a firearm, four counts of felony firearms violation and one count of discharging a firearm in a dwelling. Johnigan is being held in the Wayne County (Detroit) Jail without bond.

Information developed by the Detroit Homicide Task Force also linked Johnigan to the drug-related execution of Ean French in Kent County (Grand Rapids), Michigan on February 3, 2003. French was discovered bound and shot 12 times with two different caliber weapons. Members of the Detroit Homicide Task Force contacted Kent County Homicide Detectives to share intelligence on the murder. Ballistic testing showed that the weapon Johnigan fired at Agents was the same weapon used to murder Ean French in Kent County. Investigators have also identified a second suspect in the murder of French and Kent County Detectives are expected to seek criminal charges against Johnigan in the coming weeks for the murder of French.

The DEA Detroit Homicide Task Force was formed in 1999 and has successfully solved over 125 drug-related homicides in the Detroit Metropolitan area. The unit has also been instrumental in assisting with numerous homicide investigations in other areas of the state and throughout the country.