Aaron James Barlow, 54, of Covert, Michigan, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of March 3, 2023, in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Abbey Court in Holland. He was found inside a car with multiple gunshot wounds; first responders attempted aid but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police were called around 3:00 a.m. after reports of a man with a gun and shots fired. Officers saw a suspect running from the area, triggering an hours-long search that involved the Holland Police Department, Ottawa County Sheriff’s deputies, a Michigan State Police trooper, canine teams and drones. A shelter-in-place advisory was issued for nearby residents and start times at a local elementary school were delayed.

At about 8:25 a.m., a tip led officers to 12th Street and Dartmouth Avenue, where 54-year-old James Leonard Taylor of McDonough, Georgia, was taken into custody without incident. Investigators say Taylor and Barlow were known to each other and neither lived at the apartment complex, indicating a targeted attack. Taylor was charged with open murder and felony firearm and arraigned in the 58th District Court; bond was denied.

Did anyone who knew Aaron or saw activity near Abbey Court that morning notice anything that could help clarify why he was targeted?