GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Norman Muhammad Jr. died in the hospital Friday afternoon, one week after being taken into custody.
The Grand Rapids Police Department made that announcement Saturday afternoon.
According to GRPD, following a three-week manhunt for Norman Dennis Muhammad Jr., who was wanted for a parole absconding warrant and for questioning in the double murder of Germaine Brown and King Talbert on Jan. 17, Muhammad was captured on Feb. 9 at an apartment complex in the 4700 block of South Breton Court SE in Kentwood.
The Grand Rapids Police Investigation Unit, along with members of the FBI Fugitive Task Force as well as Kentwood Police SRT units, participated in a planned search warrant at a specific apartment where it was believed Muhammad was staying.
At 3 p.m. Feb. 9, law enforcement units surrounded the complex and began loud bullhorn announcements. Multiple residents, who live within the apartment complex exited as instructed, including an occupant from the targeted residence. One black male occupant then exited the building via an adjacent entrance. Perimeter units recognized that he matched the physical description of Muhammad.
Muhammad began to walk away from, rather than toward, police vehicles as instructed. This information was relayed to surrounding units and shortly after exiting the building he began to run.
Several officers gave loud verbal commands for the subject, later positively identified as Muhammad, to stop, but he continued to run. Muhammad ran into a wooded area where he was confronted by additional officers. Muhammad was ordered out of a ravine and taken into custody without any application of force.
It has been confirmed through the officers’ body worn cameras that the only physical contact officers had with Muhammad during the arrest was while he was being handcuffed and searched. At no time was he placed in an unusual position, nor was he ever sat in a vehicle prior to an ambulance.
Within minutes of being taken into custody, Muhammad began to complain that he was not feeling well. He was escorted out of the woods and sat on a pallet of salt bags near the parking lot to await medical clearance by an ambulance. Within a few minutes, Muhammad appeared to lose consciousness. The medical response was upgraded to an emergency status, and Muhammad was transported to a local hospital where he was admitted.
Following the apprehension of Muhammad on Feb. 9, the search warrant was executed on the intended apartment. Based on evidence within this apartment, Investigators learned that Muhammad had pulled away the ceiling drywall and insulation, climbed into the attic in which he was then able to gain access to a neighboring hallway. This would explain to investigators how and why he exited the building from an unanticipated area.
No one in the building was injured and Muhammad did not gain access to any other apartments in the building.
On Feb. 9, Grand Rapids Police were initially assigned to guard Muhammad at the hospital while he remained in critical condition. Due to no local charge at this time, the guarding responsibility was turned over to the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Seven days later, at 4:10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, Muhammad was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Today, the Kent County Medical Examiner Office performed an autopsy on Muhammad. Per Dr. David A. Start, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner & Forensic Pathologist, the preliminary cause of death is a natural disease exasperated by physical exertion.
Furthermore, Dr. Start said there were no signs of traumatic injury and no signs of a toxic ingestion.
Further testing will be completed before a final determination of death will be made.
The homicide of Germaine Brown and King Talbert remains an open and active investigation.
Anybody who has any additional information regarding this case should call the Grand Rapids Police Department at (616) 456 -3423, send a private Facebook message, or anonymously contact Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345 or at http://www.silentobserver. org on the Web.
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