Detroit radio news anchor killed, 4 hospitalized in murder-attempted suicide
A Detroit radio news anchor was killed and four other people, including his two children, are hospitalized in what police are calling a murder and suicide attempt.
The tragic incident happened Friday afternoon. Police were called to the Chesterfield Township home of Jim Matthews, an overnight news anchor at WWJ NewsRadio 950, after a woman who had escaped a home on Hidden Harbor Condominiums called authorities.
Brian Bassett, Chesterfield Police’s public safety director, said that authorities received the 911 call around noon on Friday. They were informed that the 35-year-old woman and her 5-year-old daughter had made it out of the home, the station reported.
According to Basset, the child was injured and the woman was suffering from multiple stab wounds.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they found a 57-year-old man dead and the woman’s 10-year-old boy tied up in the closet.
The man was later identified as Matthews. The boy was suffering from blunt force trauma and was rushed to a hospital.
Another adult male was found at the scene: a 54-year-old who authorities say was suffering from self-inflicted wounds, as well as a drug overdose.
Investigators said that a gun was not involved.
According to the Macomb County prosecutor, the suspect was overdosing on heroin when he was found. He was treated with Narcan and is hospitalized in stable condition.
As of Friday evening, the woman and boy were reported to be in critical condition. The girl was also hospitalized but in stable condition, according to local television station WJBK-TV.
Matthews, whose legal name was Jim Nicolai, had worked at the CBS-owned station for nearly seven years.
He would “often speak with his co-workers about his love for his two children, and their adventures at school,” the station said in a Facebook post, adding that he “loved delivering the latest news to his listeners, and was incredibly dedicated to WWJ and the broadcasting industry.
“There have been many tears shed in our newsroom today and Jim will be greatly missed,” the station added.
“He would often talk to co-workers about his children and their adventures at school,” fellow WWJ news anchor Jackie Paige said during an on-air tribute.
“He was a consummate professional and was dedicated to WWJ and the broadcasting industry. He loved delivering the latest news to his listeners every night,” she added.
His brother, Joe Nicolai, spoke with WDIV-TV about how much Matthews liked to work at WWJ.
“He was so excited when he got that job,” Nicolai said. “I was so excited and happy for him when he got into WWJ. Since he was a little kid, he wanted to be a DJ.”
Investigators have determined that the incident was “an isolated tragedy” and didn’t present any danger to the community.
“The Chesterfield Public Safety Department will not rest until we receive justice for our victims,” Bassett told reporters in a press conference Friday afternoon.
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