4 Arrested In Murder Of Clinton Township Party Store Owner

CLINTON TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - Four men have been arrested, suspected in the fatal shooting of the beloved owner of a Clinton Township corner store.

WWJ's Kathryn Larson reports it's a story that's tugged on the heartstrings of the Clinton Township community, and Friday inside Moon Lite Party Store on Harper, north of 14 Mile Road, there was a sense of joy.

"It'll bring closure to the community, and the surrounding areas, and the other store owners that have been affected by this whole thing," said Randy Rae, a friend of the victim who's been watching over the store since the tragic incident. "Everybody's ecstatic about (the arrests)."

Basil Sulaka, a father of two, was gunned down during an armed robbery inside his shop on March 28. According to police, he was shot in the back with a 9 mm handgun.

The masked crooks — all dressed in dark clothing — were caught on security camera as they ransacked the business, emptying the cash register. [See the photos HERE].

The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office announced that 24-year-old Clinton Rayshawn Grayson, 24-year-old Darius Diaz Gaskin, and 26-year-old Kenneth Hill, are charged with murder robbery, and conspiracy in the case. Grayson and Gaskin live in Detroit.  Hill lives in Clinton Township.

Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith said a fourth suspect, whose name was not immediately released, will be charged with the same crimes.

All four are scheduled to be arraigned in 41 B District Court on Saturday.

"Basim Sulaka was a good, gentle person and a beloved neighborhood merchant in Clinton Township," Smith said, in a statement. "These men took his life for the change in a cash drawer. They must answer for this crime."

Added Clinton Township Police Chief Fred Posavetz, "These men tore open a hole in our community. Our department won't rest until those responsible are convicted and punished for it."

Rae said he never lost hope that his friend's killers would be found.

"(I'm) very confident in the Clinton Township Police Department," Rae said. "They've been very communicative and everything, and they've been great through this whole process."

Each suspect faces up to life in prison if convicted.

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