Buried Shotgun Tip Helps Solve 2009 Murder of 19-Year-Old Man After 17 Years

A decades-old murder investigation in Michigan has finally been resolved after a confidential tip led police to a buried shotgun, helping investigators identify two men believed to be responsible for the death of 19-year-old Edric Hinton.

Hinton was killed in Lansing on August 1, 2009, after finishing a shift at McDonald’s. Although investigators pursued leads in the early stages, the case eventually went cold. Now, nearly 17 years later, forensic evidence has helped provide his family with long-awaited answers.

A Fatal Shooting After Work

Hinton had recently started working at McDonald’s and was trying to move forward with his life when he was killed.

On the night of August 1, 2009, he was visiting acquaintances at an apartment complex in the 900 block of West Cavanaugh Road in Lansing, Michigan. Police said someone fired a shotgun through an apartment window from outside.

Hinton was struck by gunfire. Emergency responders rushed him to a hospital, but he died less than 30 minutes later.

Investigators believed Hinton was an innocent bystander rather than the intended target of the shooting.

Police initially interviewed witnesses, developed suspects and pursued investigative leads, including search warrants and forensic examinations. However, authorities eventually ran out of evidence that could move the case forward, leaving Hinton’s family without answers.

A Cold Case Detective Reopens the Investigation

In 2019, Lansing Police Detective Shannon Thielen took another look at the unsolved homicide.

Thielen reviewed the existing evidence and worked to rebuild the investigation. She also met with Hinton’s family, helping assure them that the case had not been forgotten.

The breakthrough came when a confidential source with firsthand knowledge of the killing provided investigators with new information. According to police, the source identified an area where the suspected murder weapon had been buried.

The weapon was believed to be a 12-gauge shotgun.

Investigators followed the lead and searched the location in the fall of 2025. They recovered the shotgun along with additional evidence that helped strengthen the case.

The discovery proved significant because the firearm had not been recovered during the original investigation.

Forensic Testing Identifies the Suspected Killers

After recovering the shotgun, investigators sent the weapon and related evidence to the Michigan State Police Crime Lab for analysis.

Forensic testing confirmed that shell casings recovered from the crime scene had been fired from the recovered shotgun, providing an important link between the weapon and Hinton’s killing.

Based on the forensic findings and corroborating information, police identified Esteban Reyes Jr. as the suspected shooter and Lee Anthony Lynn as the suspected getaway driver.

Authorities announced the resolution of the case on October 12, 2026.

However, both men are deceased. As a result, prosecutors cannot bring criminal charges against them, and the case will not proceed to trial.

Detective Thielen acknowledged that the family would never have the opportunity to see the case presented in court. She said investigators wanted to make sure Hinton’s story was told and that his family finally received answers about what happened.

Hinton’s Family Reflects on 17 Years of Uncertainty

The announcement brought a mixture of relief and grief for Hinton’s relatives, who had spent years wondering what happened to him and who was responsible.

His twin brother, Eric Hinton, spoke on behalf of the family during the police announcement. He described the past 17 years as extremely difficult and acknowledged that the outcome was not what the family had hoped for.

Still, knowing the identities of the men believed responsible offered a measure of closure.

Eric reflected on the milestones the twins would have shared had his brother survived, including turning 21, reaching 30 and approaching their 40th birthdays.

He said he hoped the family could now move forward without the uncertainty that had overshadowed their lives for so long.

Their father, Ulysses Hinton, also expressed appreciation for the investigators who continued working on the case. He remembered Edric as a good person who had been proud of his new job.

The family’s loss remains permanent, but the new findings have given them a clearer understanding of the circumstances surrounding his death.

Police Say Cold Cases Can Still Be Solved

The resolution of Hinton’s case highlights how evidence that once seemed insufficient can become meaningful when combined with new information and modern forensic analysis.

Detective Thielen said she continued to hope that someone with knowledge of the crime would eventually come forward. That hope became reality when the confidential source provided the information that led investigators to the buried shotgun.

The case also demonstrates the importance of preserving evidence and periodically reviewing unsolved investigations. Even after many years, a new witness statement can give detectives a direction they did not have before.

For Hinton’s family, the announcement does not replace the justice they might have sought in a courtroom. But after nearly 17 years of unanswered questions, the identification of the suspected shooter and driver has brought the investigation to a close.

Police continue to encourage anyone with information about other unsolved crimes to come forward, emphasizing that even a tip given years after an incident can make a difference.

Sources: PEOPLE