A lottery winner killed the Detroit landlord from Australia...

**English** · May-17-11, 02:11 AM

This really, really pisses me off!

http://detnews.com/article/20110517/...ry-millionaire

In his SIXTIES? Just had a HUGE stroke of good fortune and blessing? All because his deadbeat daughter refused to pay rent???

Whoever did this horrible thing would have been a sick bastard, whether they were homeless or Bill Gates. But I am so angry right now in spite of insomnia that I could spit. How DARE HE????

**Meddle** · May-17-11, 02:19 AM

Soooooooo, winning the lottery is supposed to make you a good guy?

Trash is trash no matter how much green ya got.

By the way, the Dude's a postal worker too.

**English** · May-17-11, 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Soooooooo, winning the lottery is supposed to make you a good guy?

Trash is trash no matter how much green ya got.

You can say that again! As I pointed out above [[because I knew someone would take my response that way), it was sickening whoever did it. But both father and daughter ought to be punished -- father for murder one, daughter for being a trifling deadbeat.

**Magnatomicflux** · May-17-11, 02:22 AM

Why wouldn't he just buy his daughter a house and be done with it?

This landlords family should sue for evey dime of those winnings.

Insomnia sucks, English. I was hospitalized for it before. Insomnia in a hospital is even worse.

**English** · May-17-11, 02:50 AM

Originally Posted by Magnatomicflux

Why wouldn't he just buy his daughter a house and be done with it?

This landlords family should sue for evey dime of those winnings.

I totally agree -- that's just what I was thinking. But this goes beyond economics. This isn't some typical ghetto story. This bastard wasn't motivated by envy or jealousy -- as you said, he could have purchased the home [[or several homes). This is a person who is completely and totally AMORAL and SICK and I am so tired of people like this inhabiting the city.

Insomnia sucks, English. I was hospitalized for it before. Insomnia in a hospital is even worse.

Thanks... I'll be all right, I think, just up worrying about some stuff going on in my personal life. Thought I'd check social media, and there was the story. If I thought reading the news would put me to sleep, I had another think coming. This story saddened me so much when I first learned the poor guy had been shot to death, but tonight I am truly disturbed. This was so gratuitous until I was sure it was motivated by envy and/or resentment towards someone seen as different... but no. This is just a random, sick a--hole. So instead of having a person who wanted to invest in the city, we get to feed and clothe this clown for the next 20-30 years.

**Zacha341** · May-17-11, 05:23 AM

Yes, it is beyond tragic. I hear the daughter remains at the apartment, if true that is crazy. What 'justification' breeds in her mind to be allowed such. That's the bigger issue. Far too much justification goes on in the city, the kind that turns eyes away from reporting crime and instead endorses it to flourish. I understand the landlords wife wants to continue her husbands work at the building. Some would certainly move on and leave that situation to itself.

Originally Posted by English

I totally agree -- that's just what I was thinking. But this goes beyond economics. This isn't some typical ghetto story. This bastard wasn't motivated by envy or jealousy -- as you said, he could have purchased the home [[or several homes). This is a person who is completely and totally AMORAL and SICK and I am so tired of people like this inhabiting the city.

Thanks... I'll be all right, I think, just up worrying about some stuff going on in my personal life. Thought I'd check social media, and there was the story. If I thought reading the news would put me to sleep, I had another think coming. This story saddened me so much when I first learned the poor guy had been shot to death, but tonight I am truly disturbed. This was so gratuitous until I was sure it was motivated by envy and/or resentment towards someone seen as different... but no. This is just a random, sick a--hole. So instead of having a person who wanted to invest in the city, we get to feed and clothe this clown for the next 20-30 years.

**Meddle** · May-17-11, 03:15 AM

but tonight I am truly disturbed.

Guess you haven't heard about the pageant Mom shooting her 8 year old's face full of Botox, eh?

**Malcove Magnesia** · May-17-11, 03:31 AM

At least the lottery winner shouldn't have any trouble affording a lawyer

Additional threadjacking: I just discovered pageant mom [[who appears to be using a fake name and fake location) is likely a media troll --> http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/...entry_id=89053

**gnome** · May-17-11, 05:46 AM

This looks to me like a racially motivated murder. An Australian 'outsider' has the balls to actually expect to be paid, plus he disrespects his renter by asking for the money, even threatens her with eviction... holy smokes, look at the equation, foreign white guy + disrespect + threats ... by ghetto logic = pop a cap in his ass.

**Zacha341** · May-17-11, 06:17 AM

Oh 'how politically incorrect' for you to state this but hey, it could be a factor!

Originally Posted by gnome

This looks to me like a racially motivated murder. An Australian 'outsider' has the balls to actually expect to be paid, plus he disrespects his renter by asking for the money, even threatens her with eviction... holy smokes, look at the equation, foreign white guy + disrespect + threats ... by ghetto logic = pop a cap in his ass.

**iheartthed** · May-17-11, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by gnome

This looks to me like a racially motivated murder. An Australian 'outsider' has the balls to actually expect to be paid, plus he disrespects his renter by asking for the money, even threatens her with eviction... holy smokes, look at the equation, foreign white guy + disrespect + threats ... by ghetto logic = pop a cap in his ass.

Yeah, I'm sure the guy only gets mad at white guys who he perceives to be harassing his daughter.

**bailey** · May-17-11, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Yeah, I'm sure the guy only gets mad at white guys who he perceives to be harassing his daughter.

He might get mad at other people, but the white foreign guy is the only one he shot.

**coracle** · May-17-11, 08:27 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

He might get mad at other people, but the white foreign guy is the only one he shot.

Looks like you want to excuse him because he's black and he "only" shot a white. Is that the Detroit attitude to keep whites out of the city? And where did you get the information he's only shot one person? Could be he's shot more but never been caught. [[and he does work for the Post Office).

**Maple Leaf Rag** · May-17-11, 08:35 AM

Where's ole Geoff Fieger at now? There's sweet, sweet civil suit money to be had. Oh, that's right. The shooter's a brother. No need-a biting the hand that feeds you, eh Geoff?

**iheartthed** · May-17-11, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

He might get mad at other people, but the white foreign guy is the only one he shot.

Uh, because the white Australian guy is the one who was confronting his daughter about her rent? Who was he supposed to shoot? The woman preparing food for the barbecue?

I'm really confused about why gnome made a trollish statement like that. Other than that this guy happened to be white and the shooter happens to be black, I don't see what race has to do with the situation. Maybe he can come back and clarify what he meant.

**bailey** · May-17-11, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Uh, because the white Australian guy is the one who was confronting his daughter about her rent? Who was he supposed to shoot? The woman preparing food for the barbecue?

I'm really confused about why gnome made a trollish statement like that. Other than that this guy happened to be white and the shooter happens to be black, I don't see what race has to do with the situation. Maybe he can come back and clarify what he meant.

I think i need to get better at projecting the sarcasm

**coracle** · May-17-11, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Uh, because the white Australian guy is the one who was confronting his daughter about her rent? Who was he supposed to shoot? The woman preparing food for the barbecue?

I'm really confused about why gnome made a trollish statement like that. Other than that this guy happened to be white and the shooter happens to be black, I don't see what race has to do with the situation. Maybe he can come back and clarify what he meant.

You're absolutely right. The victim would have to have been black and the shooter white to make it racist.

**hamtown mike** · May-17-11, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

He might get mad at other people, but the white foreign guy is the only one he shot.

That we know of....

Buy American · May-17-11, 07:45 AM

The murderer is a two-legged rabid animal who needs to be eradicated.

**English** · May-17-11, 08:21 AM

You know, race may have been a factor. And if this is true, this so-and-so ought to be prosecuted for a hate crime/murder... the law should show no favoritism.

And I know that one aspect of why this sickens me is because Greg was a guest in our city. It's not rational because good people get mugged, hurt and killed in the city [[and the country) every year. But here is a guy from overseas who heard about the city of Detroit, saw opportunity, and seemed to genuinely care about his tenants. Even in spite of everything, he wanted to invest here, and not in the hip and trendy 'hoods, either. We need thousands of immigrants like this -- but thanks to this mf-er, who else will want to come? Who would ever take that chance? Not many from Australia, I'd be willing to bet.

If this was racially motivated, I hope the full arm of the law falls on him. I hope he reaps EVERYTHING he has sown. And I hope that the arc of the moral universe gives his daughter whiplash.

**iheartthed** · May-17-11, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by English

You know, race may have been a factor. And if this is true, this so-and-so ought to be prosecuted for a hate crime/murder... the law should show no favoritism.

And I know that one aspect of why this sickens me is because Greg was a guest in our city. It's not rational because good people get mugged, hurt and killed in the city [[and the country) every year. But here is a guy from overseas who heard about the city of Detroit, saw opportunity, and seemed to genuinely care about his tenants. Even in spite of everything, he wanted to invest here, and not in the hip and trendy 'hoods, either. We need thousands of immigrants like this -- but thanks to this mf-er, who else will want to come? Who would ever take that chance? Not many from Australia, I'd be willing to bet.

If this was racially motivated, I hope the full arm of the law falls on him. I hope he reaps EVERYTHING he has sown. And I hope that the arc of the moral universe gives his daughter whiplash.

I have to firmly disagree that this man's murder is anywhere near the most compelling reason that people avoid Detroit. Immigrants get murdered quite frequently in NYC, LA, Miami, and other cities with large foreign born populations.

I don't want to come off as sounding callous because a man did lose his life, but it is what it is. Just last month two British tourists were murdered in Sarasota, Florida.

**English** · May-17-11, 09:44 AM

And why does Greg McNiccol's family have to go to court to evict the daughter? She should have been arrested as an accessory/accomplice.

**hamtown mike** · May-17-11, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I have to firmly disagree that this man's murder is anywhere near the most compelling reason that people avoid Detroit. Immigrants get murdered quite frequently in NYC, LA, Miami, and other cities with large foreign born populations.

I don't want to come off as sounding callous because a man did lose his life, but it is what it is. Just last month two British tourists were murdered in Sarasota, Florida.

I think the compelling part of this story, as it relates to Detroit Yes and the contributors/readers here, is that most, if not all of us, care. We are in the streets making a difference, or at least trying. Clearly Mr. Nichols cared as well. His murder is a frightening sign to all of us who are on the ground that we could catch a cap while in the process of caring. Imagine the headlines-Man shot while mowing forgotten cyclodrome. Woman shot during city-wide cleanup day. 3 Roosevelt park volunteers in critical condition after alleged turf war.

Money, sex and power are life's 3 top motivators and I cannot see how any of those apply [[except for simply wanting to be a big man with a gun). On a sociological level, I cannot wait until police or the suspect offers up a MO.

**jbd441** · May-18-11, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I have to firmly disagree that this man's murder is anywhere near the most compelling reason that people avoid Detroit. Immigrants get murdered quite frequently in NYC, LA, Miami, and other cities with large foreign born populations.

I don't want to come off as sounding callous because a man did lose his life, but it is what it is. Just last month two British tourists were murdered in Sarasota, Florida.

Don't think for one minute that City and County fathers in Sarasota tried very hard to hush this double murder up. And don't think this incident isn't going to have a negative effect on their tourist industry. Triple whammy for them as there are 3 things going against the city's/county's image. 1. The area is in the process of being revitialized. 2. The evil idiot who shot them was just released from shooting at occupied cars. 3. The incident made headline news all over the UK plus Europe and from reading Detroit Yes, the nation as well including Canada. The area had an estimated 47k visitors from the UK last year and that number will definitely be less in the coming years. Relatives of these two men also wrote letters that were published in the local newspaper.
The difference between these two murders is the perp in Detroit had no previous criminal background... the kid in Sarasota did [[17 years old). The Austrailian was a landlord trying to collect rent. The 2 British tourists were obviously buying drugs and/ or hookers and had no business in that section of town at that time of night.

**Richard** · May-18-11, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by jbd441

The 2 British tourists were obviously buying drugs and/ or hookers and had no business in that section of town at that time of night.

No, they received directions to go to the Ihop they turned right instead of left it took two blocks in the wrong direction for the end result,most of the tourist killings were because of ending up in the wrong area by mistake or back in the day rental cars had a specific license plate making them easy targets which has been corrected.

Tunisia,Cuba,Brazil among others are popular tourist designations for Europeans so they are no strangers to the dangers involved of overseas travel so the impact is minimal.

As others have posted the difference in this case is the circumstances surrounding but on the other hand anybody that buys and invests and lives in regen areas are well aware of the dangers involved no matter what city and state or country it is in, so while tragic and senseless it is par to the course.How it is handled is the outcome of scaring future investors off. Imho