GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Around 11 o’clock the morning of Monday, Nov. 6, a Ring doorbell camera captured a black SUV speeding through an Alger Heights neighborhood.
The image of the Jeep Trailhawk hurtling north on Blaine Avenue Southeast is haunting when you realize who was inside — likely a killer at the wheel.
It’s confirmed that a toddler was in the backseat.
Target 8 obtained Ring doorbell video of the moment the boy, who’s nearly three, was dropped off at Seymour Park, which is basically a vacant, grass-covered lot at the corner at Blaine Avenue and Ottillia Street.
At 11:05 a.m., the video shows the black SUV stopping on Blaine just north of Ottillia, and the driver’s side door opening.
The person, presumably the driver, steps out, opens the back door, and retrieves what we now know to be the toddler son of one of the murder victims.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom has reported the child had blood on his clothes when dropped off and, therefore, had likely witnessed his dad’s murder.
Once the person removes the toddler from the back seat, a fence obscures the view.
However, you can make them out walking or carrying the child across Blaine Avenue to place him in the park, after which the driver returns to the vehicle and speeds North on Blaine, tires screeching.
Depositing the toddler took 23 seconds.
The neighbor who shared with Target 8 the Ring images said there’s a gap in the video after the vehicle speeds away, but when the camera picks up again at 11:10 a.m., a couple walking their dogs had stopped to help the child and call police.
Around that same time, a mile and a half west in Burton Heights, neighbors called 911 to report a body in the street; It was the toddler’s dad, 19-year-old Malik Eubanks.
His bullet-riddled body lay on Horton Avenue SE near Melville Street SE.
Grand Rapids Police said he was dumped there moments before his son was dropped off at Seymour Park.
The body of Eubanks’ girlfriend, Aniyia Rodriguez, was found lying just around the corner from his, on Melville Street SE near Francis Avenue SE.
Rodgriguez, 20, had also been shot to death.
Approximately five hours later, around 4 p.m., GRPD said a third deadly shooting occurred in the 2000 block of Horton Avenue SE.
Darryl Yarber was found shot dead just a few blocks north of Eubanks and Rodriguez.
At 7:45 that Monday night, Grand Rapids Police discovered the black Jeep, abandoned three miles northeast of the murder scenes, in the 900 block of Sherman SE.
The SUV belonged to Anayia Rodriguez.
Eubanks’ son was not injured, and he is back home with his mother.
Grand Rapids Police continue their hunt for a killer, or killers, and detectives ask anyone with information to call them or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.
