Detroit man faces first-degree murder charges in brutal hammer and knife triple homicide

Detroit man Lance Alan Clowney faces three counts of first-degree murder after three elderly men were found dead in a basement following a hammer and knife attack.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 9:46 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from FOX 2 Detroit

Triple Homicide Charges Issued Following Initial Assault Probe

The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has escalated charges against 27-year-old Lance Alan Clowney, linking him to the deaths of three men found in a home in Southwest Detroit. Clowney, who was already in custody for a February hammer assault, now faces three counts of first-degree murder. The investigation took a dark turn on February 17 when police, originally looking for a missing person, were approached by a bloodied individual who had escaped an attack inside a residence on Edsel Street.

Grisly Discovery in Southwest Detroit Basement

Upon entering the home near Edsel Street and Francis Avenue, officers discovered the bodies of Mark Barnett, 65, Norman Hamlin, 66, and Williams Barrett, 72. All three victims were found in the basement and appeared to have been subjected to a sustained and brutal assault. Forensic evidence suggests a hammer and a knife were utilized in the killings. The lone survivor of the incident provided the critical testimony that allowed investigators to connect Clowney to the broader crime scene.

Suspect’s Connection to the Victims and Location

While a specific motive has not yet been detailed by the Prosecutor’s Office, the victims were all men in their 60s and 70s residing at or near the location of the attack. Clowney was identified as the primary suspect shortly after the survivor’s statement. During his initial arraignment for assault with intent to murder in February, prosecutors signaled that forensic links to the triple homicide were being processed, leading to the formal murder charges filed this Monday.