What began as an ordinary Tuesday evening in Livonia ended in heartbreak after four members of the same family were found shot to death at their home, leaving a community searching for answers.
Police say 58-year-old Sterling Ray Pierce, his wife Holly Marie Kimball-Pierce, 53, their son Tanner Ray Pierce, 22, and Tanner’s girlfriend, Nevaeh May Jaslynn Finch, 21, were killed at the family’s residence on Rensellor Street near Seven Mile and Inkster roads.
Officers rushed to the neighborhood shortly after multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunfire around 5:30 p.m. When they arrived, a man walked out of the home with his hands raised above his head. According to investigators, he immediately told officers he had shot members of his family.
The suspect, identified by police only as a 25-year-old resident of the home, was taken into custody without resistance. Family members and local residents later identified him as Gage Pierce.
Investigators found a devastating scene. Sterling Pierce and Holly Kimball-Pierce were discovered in the backyard suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. Inside the home, officers found Tanner Pierce and his girlfriend, Nevaeh Finch, dead in a bedroom.
Authorities recovered a semi-automatic rifle believed to have been used in the killings. All four victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police Chief Thomas Goralski said investigators have found no known criminal history involving the suspect. Officers had also never previously been called to the home for domestic disturbances or other incidents.
As detectives continue working to determine a motive, relatives reportedly described the relationship between the suspect and his parents as tense and sometimes contentious. However, investigators say it remains unclear whether that strained relationship played a direct role in the shootings.
Nevaeh Finch, who was from Warren, frequently stayed at the Pierce family home, according to authorities. Her death has added another layer of grief to a tragedy that has shaken both families.
The investigation remains active as prosecutors review evidence and prepare possible charges. Meanwhile, friends, relatives, and neighbors are left mourning four lives lost in a single act of violence that unfolded inside a place that should have been safe.
