Man shot and killed, Cadillac stolen in Harper Woods

A man was discovered shot to death inside his own home on Old Homestead in Harper Woods just blocks away from the police department.

"Why would somebody want to do something to a great guy like him?" said Nathaniel Davis, Junior.

Davis just can't believe it.  He and Joe Tate have known 60-year-old Johnny Buckner for 40 years.  They grew up together, worked at General Motors together and retired together.

Tate just spoke to him on the phone Wednesday afternoon.  He was driving home.

"He said, 'I'm on my way to the house.'  And that was it.  He said, 'I'll talk to you tomorrow.'  End of conversation," Tate explained.

The last conversation.  The two men would not talk the following day.  At 11:25 p.m. Wednesday, Buckner's grandson found him in the home murdered, shot multiple times.

"We believe that whoever was responsible for the shooting stole the victim's car.  It's a 2001 Cadillac DeVille four door.  It's cream in color with a dark tan roof," Harper Woods Police Chief Jim Burke told me.

Burke said finding that car is key.  It has a Michigan license plate 8JW A60.

Did the gunman force his way into the house or was he perhaps let inside?  Did the victim know his attacker?  Those are things that Harper Woods police are not yet saying.

"It's a very safe, secure, solid neighborhood and it's very unusual that something like this would happen, but obviously the neighbors are quite shaken up and we're doing everything we can to track down who did it," Burke said.

Frightening for neighbors and so sad for Buckner's family and friends.  His wife had passed away a couple of years ago and his friends say he was just starting to smile again.

"We had been worried about him because he lost his wife, but he seemed to be getting it back together and start laughing and start living life again.  It's just so tragic," said Davis.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Harper Woods police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.