DETROIT – The bodies of three men who went missing after a canceled Michigan rap performance were found in an abandoned Michigan apartment building Thursday, according to Michigan State Police.
The police confirmed the bodies belong to Armani Kelly, Montoya Givens and Dante Wicker just after 2 p.m. Friday.
The bodies were found in the basement of an abandoned apartment building in Highland Park, a small city surrounded by Detroit, said Lt. Mike Shaw.
“Homicide Task Force detectives are continuing to investigate this homicide,” the department tweeted. “Currently the cause of death and motive are unknown. This will be the final update of the day pending new information or an arrest.”
The men were missing for nearly two weeks.
Kelly, 27; Montoya Givens, 31, of Detroit; and Dante Wicker, 31, of Melvindale, were set to perform at a hip-hop show Jan. 21 at a Detroit club, but the performances were canceled. No one heard from the three men after that.
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‘We think it’s my cousin in there’
Detroit police on Monday asked the public for help locating the three men, who were set to perform at Lounge 31 on Detroit’s east side before they went missing.
At the scene Thursday night, Antoine Woods, who identified himself as Wicker’s cousin, said police had not initially told his family whether Wicker was among the victims found, but that “we think it’s my cousin in there.”
He said he last spoke to his cousin in the days before he went missing.
“He was excited about making music,” Woods said.
He said the trio was about to perform their first gig together at Lounge 31.
Lounge 31 owner Darnell Williams told the Free Press the performances were canceled the night the men went missing because of technical failures with DJ equipment. He said there were too many people in the crowd to know whether or when the missing men arrived at the venue, but that police were reviewing video footage.
The car Kelly drove from Oscoda to Detroit was found in Warren. A juvenile was arrested in connection with the vehicle’s theft and charged with receiving and concealing stolen property, according to Warren police.
Follow reporter Andrea Sahourion Twitter @andreamsahouri.