A welfare check in Trenton, Michigan, led to a discovery as police found a man shot to death and his wife severely injured inside their home on Monday. The deceased man, later identified as Jeff Vamos, a former Flat Rock police officer, and his wife were both discovered after police were summoned for a well-being check. A family member provided keys to the officers who then entered the residence on the 5500 block of Elmhurst Drive, CBS News Detroit reported.
Jeff Vamos, who had served with the Flat Rock Police Department from 1996 until 2017, was found with gunshot wounds along with his wife, who is currently in critical condition. According to Trenton Police Chief Mike Hawkins, the woman, also struck by gunfire, is fighting for her life in the hospital. "There was no threat to the public," Hawkins stated, as the incident appears to be domestic-related, The Detroit News reported. The shootings are believed to have occurred shortly before the police were dispatched around 7 a.m.
Neighbors are unsettled by the violent incident that took place within their community. "It’s sickening," said next-door neighbor Chris Carney, in a statement to ClickOnDetroit. "I mean, it’s really sickening, and she was well-loved by everybody," Carney added, expressing concern for the injured woman who is well-regarded in the neighborhood.
Also noteworthy is a reported history of legal troubles for Vamos, as revealed by online court records. Past allegations include a lawsuit in 2003 where Vamos was accused of setting up a camera in his bathroom and recording a woman without consent. The woman's case was ultimately dismissed. A separate incident in 2007 involved Vamos showing a female dispatcher inappropriate photos while off-duty. He was found guilty of the conduct by a trial board but was suspended without pay rather than terminated. For this, Vamos was also ordered to seek psychological counseling, detailed by The Detroit News.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities continue to gather information surrounding the circumstances of this incident.
