Hearns’ Brother Arrested for Shooting, TV Reports

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. —  Henry Hearns, a younger brother of Thomas Hearns, was held in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend at the boxer’s home, a television station reported Sunday.

Police in this Detroit suburb refused to identify either the 22-year-old suspect or the victim, described as in her 20s, but said the woman was known to the Hearns family.

WDIV-TV, however, reported that the suspect was Henry Hearns. Another Detroit television station, WXYZ-TV, identified the victim as his girlfriend, Nancy Barile, 20.

Handlers for Hearns, who is in Las Vegas preparing for tonight’s bout against Sugar Ray Leonard, insisted Hearns would fight as scheduled.

Several people at Hearns’ home went to the police department to report the shooting at 10:40 p.m. Saturday, and the suspect was arrested about 1 a.m. Sunday, said Officer Gary Conat, a department spokesman.

The suspect had been scheduled for arraignment on an open murder charge at 10 a.m. Sunday in 46th District Court in Southfield, police Cpl. Peter Ponzetti said. That hearing was delayed because a formal warrant had not been issued by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, Conat said.

“All the information has not been totally reviewed,” Conat said. He said the arraignment still could be conducted later Sunday, although District Judge Susan Moiseev left the courthouse after conducting other arraignments and the building was locked about 1 p.m.

The victim’s body was found in a bedroom of one of four homes owned by Hearns. She had been shot once in the head, and a handgun was recovered at the scene, police Lt. Lloyd Collins said.

Conat said the shooting stemmed from a “domestic situation, not a social situation” but would not comment on a possible motive. Police did not immediately know to whom the handgun was registered, he said.

The suspect was one of six people questioned after the shooting, police said. Henry Hearns was at the police station accompanied by Detroit defense attorney Neil Fink after the shooting, but officials wouldn’t say if Hearns was among those questioned.

Police and Oakland County Prosecutor Richard Thompson refused to comment on reports that Henry Hearns was the suspect in custody. Under Michigan law, a suspect’s name cannot be released until a formal warrant is executed by a judge, even if the suspect has been arrested, Thompson said.

“I don’t think that at this point we want to release any individual’s name. There is someone held in custody who will be held over the evening,” he said.

A court arraignment was tentatively scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today, police said.

Fink was at the Southfield courthouse on Sunday morning but left about noon, telling reporters, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Fink also identified two people in the courthouse as two other siblings, John Hearns and Mary Hearns. Both left the courthouse without speaking to reporters, and calls to Fink’s office were unanswered Sunday.