Family Pleads For Leads In Murder Of Macomb County Couple

DETROIT (WWJ) - A cash reward of $7,500 is now being offered for the tip that leads to an arrest for the murder of a Macomb County couple.

Rosemary Chyz, 19, of Clinton Township, and her boyfriend Tony Velez, 22, of Sterling Heights, were found tied up and shot multiple times in a field located on the northeast side of Detroit at 1:45 p.m. on Monday, October 24, 2011.

Detroit authorities said the couple were traveling the night before around 10:30 p.m. to the city in a gray 2000 Chevy Impala and went to the area of Alter and Mack Avenue.

Their car, which was burning, was found an hour later around two blocks east of the old Packard plant.

At a news conference Monday morning, Velez's mother, Lisa Puma, wiped tears as she spoke about the incident.

"Nobody deserves that," Puma said.  "You know, just robbing them wasn't enough.  Beat them, rob them, take his car.  At least he could've called for ride and he would've made it home.  And Rosie ...she was just....at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Chyz graduated from Chippewa Valley High School and was attending Macomb Community College.

She also worked at Buckle retail store at Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights and had aspirations of becoming a physical therapist.

Velez graduated Henry Ford II High School in Sterling Heights in 2007 and worked in electronics selling projection TV screens and other items.

Puma said she is hopeful someone will come forward about a lead and had a message for the shooter's mother:

"I hope they're proud," Puma said. "I hope they're proud ... to have raised such heinous monsters.  They know what they did and the right thing to do is turn them in.  Son or no son ...  they chose to take somebody's lives."

If anyone has any information regarding a lead call 1-800-773-2587 or visit the Crime Stoppers website.

All calls and cash rewards are completely anonymous.