DETROIT, Mi. — A man who was part of a U.S. Postal Service employees group who won a share of the $93 million Mega Millions Jackpot in February is now accused of killing a Detroit landlord from Australia.
In a bizarre twist to the tragic death of Greg McNicol in Detroit, police said suspect Freddie Young won a $1.8 million slice of $93 million Mega Millions lottery.
Young allegedly shot McNicol during an argument over just a few hundred dollars in overdue rent money Young's daughter owed.
"It didn't make any sense," Lieutenant Dwane Blackmon, commanding officer of the Detroit Police Department's homicide division, said. "I guess he just let his anger take over."
Young did not have a criminal record, but Lieutenant Blackmon said interviews with family members indicated he had a "violent temper".
Young was arrested on Saturday and during questioning confessed to the murder, Lieutenant Blackmon said.
McNicol, 45, moved to the US from Victoria about 12 years ago. In February, he purchased a rundown 10-unit apartment complex in Detroit.
Tenants praised McNicol as he worked hard to renovate the building, transforming it from a "rat trap" to a livable environment, with plans to install picnic benches on an adjacent block of land.
An argument broke out on the front lawn of the premises on May 7 between Young's daughter, who lived in the building, and McNicol, who threatened to evict her for not paying her rent.
It is alleged Young drove up in a car, pulled out the silver Colt .45 and shot McNicol in the groin, likely severing a major artery that led to the Australian bleeding to death, Lieutenant Blackmon said.
Young was part of a 13-person P1 Gold Lottery Club that had one of two winning tickets in the February 4 Mega Millions lottery. In February, Lottery Post reported that the group included 13 postal workers from the priority mail processing center in Romulus.
The members of the lottery pool chose to take the cash option of just over $29 million, less taxes, leaving Young with about $1.8 million.
Ed Moore, a local spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service, confirmed Young was a 13-year employee, but didn't have additional information Monday night about whether he was in the lottery club.
Andrea Brancato, a state lottery spokeswoman, said Monday night she could only confirm the name of the winning group, not its individual members.
News of the lottery win surprised residents at McNicol's building. Residents said they were devastated by the loss of the man who had purchased the building, fixed it up and befriended tenants.
Florida Benton said given his reported status as a millionaire and the alleged rent dispute, she questioned the suspect's motives.
"What kind of a man are you?" she asked.
Lieutenant Blackmon added, "You wouldn't think an individual who was pretty much set for his life financially would go over to the apartment complex and do what he did."
Young has been charged with first-degree murder and a felony firearm charge. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
He has been remanded in custody.
Detroit, the home of the US automobile industry, was slammed by the recession, with property prices plummeting as a quarter of the city's population left the city the past decade, resulting in thousands of homes being abandoned.
McNicol was one of many investors enticed to buy discounted property in the ailing city and community leaders fear his murder will turn new investors away.
"By all accounts he was a landlord hoping to have a positive impact in the community," Detroit prosecutor Kym Worthy said.
"This is extremely discouraging and I sincerely hope that this does not have a chilling effect for others who want to do business in the city of Detroit."
McNicol's Brazilian-born wife, Karen, has vowed to continue the work her husband began at the apartment complex.
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Their may be more to this story: Considering McNicol was shot in the groin...
Being a Mega Millions Jackpot Winner: Doesn't make one smart or non-violent...
Sad story.........RIP Mr. McNicol may God bless your family that you leave behind......... true Raven62 there may be more to the story however base on the info that we have this gives Young no right to do what he did. If he felt his daughter was being treated unfailry he should have hired an attorney and persued legal action.
OK now on to this lunatic Young, he does not deserve to be addresed as Mr. you deserve everything that you get in prison and then some.....
Oh and to the daughter pay your bills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's Jacked Up Darn Shame
I saw this on the news, the daughter called daddy when she was being evicted, and started a fight with Mr. Mcnicol, daddy raced up in his car shot, Mr. Mcnicol , jumped back in his car and raced off. As far as I am concerned the daughter should be charged also, sad story , but a daily one here in Detroit.
Rest in Peace Mr. Mcnicol!
Detroit is what is wrong with America ............. the Greed of Envycrowd is entitled to what ever they want .............. you don't have to pay rent ............... "Obama got a stash"
When I win, I will invest carefully .................... I will look at the political demographics and go where the people don't expect something for nothing!
It's possible that there is more to this story, or just that this man was a poor shot.
Either way it doesn't justify this man getting gunned down and left to die. When are people going to realize the " MOUTH " is more powerful and can do more damage than a weapon.
A war of words would have sufficed in this situation, rather than a man having to die for a couple of hundred dollars.
This is an absolutely inhuman, inconceivable, unconscionable, insufferable outrage.
It's reminiscent of the mindless murder of Abraham Shakespeare by another scumbucket .
The weeds always choke out the flowers.
I would love to have 15 minutes in the cell with this piece of crap SOB.
Unfortunately, this is where the entitlement mentality of liberalism always leads.
Detroit is it's flagship, shining example and showpiece.
I totally agree with you. Such a sad story to hear.
This is very sad. a person trying to make a positive impact on society gunned down by someone who didn't have a clue to the real meaning of life. To his daughter, pay YOUR OWN BILLS!! Now that your Dad is going to prison for the rest of his life, who will pay them now? To the family of the slain man, you have my deepest condolences.
Amen Brother !
Gee I wonder if they will prosecute this as a Hate crime? Probably not....If I were to win a jackpot I would get out of Detroit and possibly Michigan sas quickly as possible! Maybe the should have a Law that If you have worked for the US Post Office you should have a mental exam before you can own a gun? LOL
...Anyhow I hope this guy gets the death penalty or many years in prison...but somehow I think he will probably just blame "Whitey" for his rage and get off by a jury of his Peers......
What! the hell are you people talking about Obama what I am so dam tired of you people blaming everyting on President Obama and Liberals. If there was something like he was having his way with my daughter,he meet the same faith at my hand not to say this was the case.
Louise, just to be clear, you're saying that this guy was correct to shoot the landlord, and that you would do the same thing?
You know Rdgrnr I wish they would give you 20 min. with him also. What is sad is that every chance you Obama hater get a chance .You shoot even if its blind shooting. Are you people forgetting it was the Black man who had the money. I believe it's more to the story. Just like it was more to the Maria and Arnold breaking up!
May Mr.McNicol rest in peace.
Louise, I think you may be confusing me with someone else.
I didn't say anything about Obama or white or black or who had money.
I said the weeds always choke out the flowers. Bad people kill good people.
I don't like bad people and I don't care what color they are.
But liberalism always favors and makes life easier for bad people.
Normally I would agree to not jump the gun and assume things. The Gent "CONFESSED", need there be more? I respect the man for owning up as now the judicial system will run its course. Doesnt make for any more sense to this senseless crime. He will pay his dues that no money can buy.
THe slain victims family has my prayers. So terribly sad and done in such a heartless way....
You can not move anywhere, to avoid studpidity. Its in every state and country. Its found in every class of people, every ethnic group, and whether you have money or not. Its not exclusive to liberals or conservatives. Its not exclusive to hillbillies or ghetto monsters. Look at Arnold & Maria. He worth $300million and she worth $100million.
Humanity has good and bad, and this story is only about the bad choice the father made bringing a gun to a dispute about rent. Its about good and bad people, not anything else.
the daughter will probably get his cash at least...maybe she set him up to get it...
louise black please before you post make sure it's a post we can understand..This had nothing to do with Obama at all..It's a Postal worker who shot and killed a landlord who was trying to help people...No one should take the law into their own hands..ridge never said anything about black white or Obama..Calm down and think before you post..
This is a sad story. A seemingly good man is shot dead by an evil guy. I do not know the full facts of what happened
but one family lost their son/nephew/husband/brother/father while he was doing a good thing to society. The shooter will go to
jail for a long time, does Michigan have the death penalty because the murderer does not deserve to live. Hopefully the apartments
had security cameras that caught the whole incident. The shooter cannot escape responsibility on this one.
All this other stuff about the color of the people involved and the liberals and conservatives and President Obama are irrelevant.
This post by you is the first mention of Obam in this thread.
No matter what happens to the untermensch that shot and killed the victim, the victim's family has already gotten life.
You say the accused is evil because he killed someone. And yet you are in favor of the death penalty. Does that not make the state evil?
You're a liberal. What a surprise.
Let's coddle the criminal now and make sure he gets all his rights. The hell with the victim and his family. Let's make sure the killer is comfortable. Let's make sure he doesn't meet the same fate as the guy he brutally murdered in cold blood. Let's hold a candle light vigil in support of the murderer.
You people make me wanna puke.
what does Obama have to do with this
LOL! I Don't want to start a flame war on this thread so I'm not going to get started on Obama. But.....It is pretty funny that if you look back at my post I said NOTHING about President Obama or Liberals...just about Hate Crimes and blame whitey and you instantly think of OBAMA!
I was just pointing out that a jury of his peers in Detroit MI could have a mentality that maybe the white guy had it coming..and the jury could nullify. The only thing about the Obama Administration you could possibly get out of my post was maybe that Attorney General Eric Holder has refused to prosecute "Hate Crimes" commited against white folks. But anyhow whatever happens happens and I can't control it......In the end this guy is responsible for his own actions. If he is found guilty or not guilty by the justice system he will still have to answer for his sins to GOD....
so Freddy Young goes from winning 1.8 million dollars in the lottery to life in prison, all within the span of 3 months. Amazing.
Somewhere, a lawyer is dancing.
saw this coming weeks ago...not this particular crime but i knew soon they were going to post a crime story...
It doesn't seem to have much connection to reality, but her last sentence seems pretty clear.
he's going to need to hire a dream team of lawyers to get him out of this mess.
Thank you, dallas.
Michigan does not have the Death Penalty, and as someone who has lived in Michigan all my life except my time in the service Michigan was always home. Detroit has gotten a bad rap yes there is and was corruption in the political offices, haven't liked the comments by Newt Gingrich, on what a failure Detroit is we weren't and are not the reason this country is in the state it is now, come visit and let us show how we take care of own Newt. Sorry about the rant but we all get condemned by the actions of the few.
Frankly Mr. McNicol's family should file a claim for loss of life against the guy's lottery winnings, and yes the daughter should be charged as well, she was the cause of his death.
It's indeed too bad that Michigan doesn't have the death penalty.
I don't like Newt Gingrich either, susscs, but why be offended about him calling Detroit a failure?
It's the truth! Do you deny that?
Detroit used to be a great, world-class city and now it's a crime-ridden, ghetto-encumbered, drug-infested, ghost-town, shadow of it's former self.
And that transformation began when liberals took over the city and instituted their policies.
You say: "come visit and let us show how we take care of own Newt."
That should not be the standard by which you are judged. Putting everybody on welfare is not the solution. It may be touchy-feely, feel-good politics but it is not the solution. It is the problem. That is what got Detroit in the mess it's in - taking care of everybody.
Your President is now asking Americans to share in the sacrifice.
This also is the wrong paradigm or mind-set to be coming from.
We are Americans and as such we are exceptional and we yearn to share in the prosperity, not the sacrifice.
Socialism is anathema to rugged individualism which breeds innovation and invention and achievement and success.
You don't help anybody by providing for them.
God help us if we don't get this thing turned around.
Ok! rdgrnr my bad, I know what it feel like to be among scrum of the earth . I am having to move now because a slum lord move all those low life in my hood.
No problem Louise.
Now, if I lived up there I'd come give you a hand moving with my pickup truck.
And all you'd have to do is supply the cold beer and whiskey!
Listen! listen people stop jumping on me and go back and read the thread from the begininng . There are mention of the President being blame for the mess in Detroit and the Liberals.I said and still say it more to the story.
Todd ,yes as a mother there no end to what I will do to protect my daughter, in case there are more to the story than just landlord tenant dispute. People just don't come shoot some one in their groin for a few hundred dollars when he could have easily paid it. Think about it. I am saying people as I sometime do get emotional about love ones, but the court of law is always the best choice.
Of course you would always protect your loved ones in self-defense. I would do the same.
But protecting a loved one's life when they are being threatened with physical harm is a lot different than murdering someone because your loved one owes the landlord some back rent. In fact, it's hard to mention them in the same paragraph because it is such a grossly incongruous comparison.
Apparently this guy DID just come in and shoot the landlord. That's one reason why he's being charged with first-degree murder. That charge is reserved for the worst, most callous acts of murder. It is typically not the charge in cases of self-defense.
Amen rdgrnr!! We all have to take the bitter with the sweet sometimes - truth. As a Michigander, I wish we did have the death penalty. Better yet, let's get some of those Chinese laws. Crime rate here would probably drop faster than I can bat my eye.
louise black,
How about you go back and read this thread from the beginning. You are the first one who mentioned Obama, the 13th post in the thread. Read the first 12 post beofre yours, show us any mention of Obama, and then explain why you mentioned him.
Well ,Coin Toss maybe you should go back to the 5th text by dpolyl.
if I had my way this whole thread would be LOCKED OR DELETED ...... and the few would be suspended for a week just for the grins of it
louise black,
Oooops! My faux pas, sorry...
hearsetrax,
OK, I "suspended" myself for a few hours last night! And will wear suspenders this morning!
Rdg,
I wasn't denying what Detroit is I know what it is and what it has become; it's just that when they talk about Detroit all the people of Michigan are put into that roll of defending or explaining themselves. I lived in the city until I was 12 we moved after they tried to fire bomb our house my parents moved us to the burbs and I still live in the burbs.
And my comment about how we take care of our own was not about welfare but about kicking his A--. I do not like people talking about me by extension that way.
Ok susscs, I see where you're coming from.
Sorry I misunderstood you.
So sad that this lottery winner couldn't embrace his good fortune...
Peace be w/the victim's family!
Very sad story...not sure how it turned into a political debate though...smh...
Sorry, we didn't realize you were still here.
You said you wanted to leave this country if I recall.
You were mad about someone questioning something Obama did or something and you called them stupid and a moron.
I hope you don't start the name-calling again.
There's no need for that.
I guess he left logic at the door when he went to shoot the man.
Whatever happened to just paying the rent, acting professional, and moving on?
Wow......complete and utter foolishness.
There just my be more to the story that did not come out on the NEWS ...sounds like to me that the daughter may have been in bed with this guy and when the DAD found out about the eviction and the affair he shot him in the groin;
It doesn't sound like it was the Rent that got him killed;
No. The state can't take away life without the due process of law. He's evil because he killed someone in cold blood. The only way for society to most effectively protect the rights of it's citizens from un-just punishment is to ensure due process must be had for any accused before taking away their rights. The Death Penalty is one of the few tough issues I face, as I fundementally see life as a right government should not take away, however - no man should take away life either, and "allowing" the state to kill after due process is had can be a powerful deterrent. The one thing that makes me second guess it is that sometimes we do wrongly convict people and killing them would mean we can't even attempt to make it (the fact that they were wrongly convicted) up to them.
Still, we're referring to Liberal Idealoagues that lead to people being in perpetual welfare. I work with homeless people, and I've seen the sense of entitlement most of them have. I agree whole heartedly that getting rid of incentives that cause people to stay in entitlement programs and welfare prorams, along with Sound Monetary policy is the only way to prevent crime, homelessness, hunger, make education better, etc. It's not about us directly giving help to those in need, it's about providing the type of eceonomy where those people are incentivized to help them selves rather than be reliant on government.
The whole debate is better in person, and better if you've researched the topics at hand and don't base them on ideals, or stuff like that. Personally I used to be pretty liberal (barely partisan, I don't trust either major political party) until I started studying the issues, the "common sense" liberal solutions, when done on a big scale, usually lead to different results than intended, and usually make the problems worse. Now I tend to more conservative, but one thing I wish "liberals" would understand about Conservatives is that we aren't un-compassionate. We just believe that providing short term help to people in need without incentivizing them to find their own long term solution is desctructive to productivity, and I defenitely believe in helping people on an individual to individual basis, not a "we're going to take tax money and force it to be used in a beararcratic enitilement program" type of thing.