Man found competent to stand trial for double murder at Shelby Township auto shop

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — A 46-year-old man from Houston accused of killing two people inside a used car dealership in Shelby Township last fall has been found competent to stand trial, following a mental health evaluation.

Terrance Jermaine Sandles was arraigned Nov. 10 in the 41A District Court on two counts of first-degree, premeditated murder; two counts of armed robbery; and several weapons charges.

A drug charge and a related gun charge was withdrawn because officials said another drug-enforcement agency is interested in that aspect of the case.

Shelby Township police were dispatched to Star Auto Sales, 47092 Ryan Road, north of Auburn Road, for a welfare check at approximately 12:28 p.m. Nov. 7.

“An employee who was out buying parts at the time came back into the office and observed his boss and another male down in the office with gunshot wounds,” Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide said during a Nov. 11 press conference.

When officers arrived on the scene at 12:41 p.m., they discovered the two men — the owner of the business, Marvan Batoo, 40, of Shelby Township, and Ghaith Baban, 48, of Clinton Township — dead from gunshot wounds, and five 9 mm shell casings inside the office.

Shelide said Sandles was captured on surveillance video entering the business and shooting Batoo and Baban at “point-blank range” before exiting the store and leaving the business on foot.

Three weeks earlier, Sandles was allegedly caught on camera in a dispute with Star Auto Sales over a $3,000 Hummer he had purchased from the location.

Shelide said that Sandles acted intentionally.

“He didn’t go in to rob, and this was no hit. He went in to kill that man, kill the owner,”  Shelide said. “Mr. Baban just happened to be there at the time.”

Through surveillance footage and the use of Flock cameras positioned throughout the township, police identified Sandles’ alleged getaway vehicle, a Turo rental. Flock cameras are designed to read license plates.

The next morning, at around 5:45 a.m., police arrested Sandles during a raid of his room at a hotel near Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus. The Prosecutor’s Office said authorities found evidence linking Sandles to the crime, including two guns and cash. A large amount of cocaine was also found at the scene, according to authorities.

Police believe Sandles, who has an open arrest warrant from the Houston area, was in Michigan staying at the Romulus hotel after fleeing Texas.

The Prosecutor’s Office said Sandles is a fourth-offense habitual offender.

Sandals remains lodged without bail at the Macomb County Jail. His probable cause conference will be held April 2 at the 41A District Court in Shelby Township.

Sandles’ attorney, Robbie D. Lang, said he had no comment at press time.