SHELBY TOWNSHIP — A horrifying double homicide claimed the lives of two Chaldean men in Shelby Township after a disgruntled customer from Texas returned to a local auto dealership and opened fire, killing the dealership owner and his friend on Friday, November 7. Authorities arrested the suspected gunman the following day at a hotel in Romulus and have charged him with multiple counts of first-degree murder and other felonies, according to official statements.

The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office said that Terrance Jermaine Sandles, 46, of Houston, Texas, appeared before Shelby Township’s 41-A District Court on November 10, where he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and 13 additional felony counts in connection with the shooting that killed Marvan Bato, 40, owner of Star Auto Sales and a resident of Shelby Township, and his friend Ghaith Baban, 48, of Clinton Township, who had been present to purchase vehicles.

Dispute over a used vehicle sparked the attack

Shelby Township Police said the motive centered around Sandles’ anger after purchasing a 2007 GMC Hummer for approximately $2,500 about five weeks earlier. He reportedly returned to the dealership two weeks later, arguing over the vehicle’s condition before abandoning it in the lot near Ryan and Auburn Roads in Shelby Township.

Police Chief Robert Shelide said investigators learned that “a man had entered the dealership three weeks ago and threatened the owner over the Hummer he purchased.” On November 7, Sandles allegedly returned not to rob the business, but to kill Bato, who leaves behind a wife and three young daughters under the age of 5.

Baban, also married and a father, happened to be at the dealership at the time.

Marvan Bato, 40, owner of Star Auto Sales and a resident of Shelby Township, and his friend Ghaith Baban, 48, of Clinton Township.

Surveillance footage captured the execution-style attack

According to Shelby Township Police, surveillance video showed the suspect wearing dark clothing and a mask as he entered the store and opened fire at close range, killing both victims. He then walked out “calmly,” police said. Five 9mm casings were recovered at the scene.

An employee returning from a parts run discovered the bodies and immediately contacted authorities. Investigators quickly identified Sandles from documentation inside the abandoned Hummer next to the building.

Arrest in a Romulus hotel and additional charges

Police tracked Sandles’ rented getaway vehicle through surveillance cameras and located him at a hotel near Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus on November 8. Officers found:

• The firearm used in the killings

• Cash stolen from the dealership

• A second handgun

• A large quantity of cocaine

Chief Shelide said Sandles was lying on the hotel bed with a handgun next to him. Another gun was found on the dresser.

Sandles was booked into the Macomb County Jail without bond, with Assistant Prosecutor Carmen DeFranco citing his “extensive criminal history.” His court-appointed attorney, Elisha Oaks, requested bond, arguing he had been working locally to support his five children. The judge denied the request.

Sandles is also wanted in Texas for an assault charge and now faces additional Michigan charges including:

• Armed robbery

• Manufacture/delivery of controlled substances (50–224 grams)

• Felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition

• Carrying a concealed weapon

• Seven additional weapons charges

He is scheduled for a probable cause conference on November 24 and a preliminary exam in early December.

Community in shock

The killings devastated the Chaldean and Arab American communities. Photos of the victims circulated widely on social media, with hundreds expressing grief and disbelief. Both men were described as “kind, respected and deeply community-oriented.”

A GoFundMe page created by Sameer Najeeb for Ghaith Baban, who worked with ACCESS in Dearborn, praised him as “a great man, a loving father and a devoted family member”, noting that his loss leaves a profound void.