FERNDALE – Ferndale detectives are interviewing a person of interest in the April 17 home invasion of Ferndale Mayor Craig Covey, when the mayor's car, jewelry, television and cell phone were stolen.
According to information received from the Ferndale Chief of Police by Mayor Covey earlier this month, fingerprints from a jewelry box drawer were matched by Michigan State Police to Damion Butler, 23, a convicted felon and parole absconder who was also wanted by Hamtramck police in a home invasion and murder investigation from 2008.
Butler was taken into custody recently in Hamtramck by police and was set to be interviewed on Monday, June 22 by Ferndale detectives in regard to the Covey home invasion case.
"I'm so glad this nasty villain is in jail, and I hope they throw away the key," Covey said. "This highly publicized burglary threw my life into turmoil for weeks and caused stress and anxiety – not just for me and my friends and neighbors, but for all the residents of Ferndale.
"If this guy is convicted of murder as well as home invasion, then my only regret is that Michigan does not have the death penalty. I would gladly volunteer to throw the switch myself."
Speaking of the 2008 murder, Covey noted, "(Ferndale) Police Chief Michael Kitchen told me that had I awakened that night during the crime, that I may not have been around today to talk about it. That was truly a chilling thought."
Butler was wanted for questioning by Hamtramck police in a 2008 murder of a young man committed during a home invasion in that town. The suspect in that case emptied a handgun into the victim, shooting him six times and killing him.
While home invasions in Ferndale are reportedly rare, Covey reiterated that no one should have to feel vulnerable for such crime. "I praise the Ferndale detectives and police officers who were professional and efficient in their diligent work," he said. "Im just glad that no one else was hurt, and no one will have to live in fear of this particular bad guy any further."
