Nanny charged with murder of 83-year-old man

ROYAL OAK — Police have identified the 83-year-old man who was killed on Oct. 24 at a home on Sheridan Drive, and the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office has charged a 35-year-old woman with first-degree murder in the killing. 

The 83-year-old man killed on Oct. 24 has been identified as Bloomfield Hills resident David Ong. His alleged killer is 35-year-old Chesterfield Township resident Samantha Rae Booth, according to a Royal Oak police press release.

At approximately 9:30 p.m., Royal Oak police responded to the report of a man calling for help at a home in the 4300 block of Sheridan Drive, which is in the area of 14 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, where they reportedly encountered Booth with blood on her hands.

Booth was detained following a brief foot pursuit, according to police. Officers entered the home, police said, and found Ong unresponsive in the basement with multiple stab wounds. 

According to the press release, at approximately 7:50 p.m., Ong was contacted by his daughter, the owner of the home on Sheridan Drive, and asked to check on the welfare of his granddaughter, who was under the care of her nanny, Booth, while she was out of town. 

Ong arrived at the home shortly after his daughter’s call but did not call back to update his daughter on the well-being of her child. When her father did not respond, the homeowner called her brother-in-law to check on both the father and child, according to the release. 

The brother-in-law arrived at the home at around 9:25 p.m., entered the home and heard noises coming from the basement. The release said he called out to the nanny with no answer. 

The brother-in-law encountered the nanny in a manic state covered in blood, police said, and his father-in-law lying on the floor with severe injuries. He picked up the child and attempted to escape from the basement to call 911, police said. 

While fleeing the home, the man reportedly had to fend off continued attacks from Booth until he could escape, police said. Booth allegedly continued to pursue the man and his niece outside while armed with a screwdriver. 

The man and child were able to find shelter in a nearby home, where they called 911. Booth stopped chasing the man and child and took off her clothing and dropped the screwdriver, according to the release. 

She then allegedly ran from the arriving officers but was apprehended. The child and uncle suffered minor injuries and were transported to Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital for medical evaluation, where they were treated and released a short time later, the release said. 

“We extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family as they cope with this tragic and senseless act of violence. No family should ever have to endure such loss, and we are keeping them in our thoughts,” Royal Oak Police Chief Michael Moore said in a prepared statement. 

On Oct. 28, Booth was arraigned before Magistrate Donald Chisholm, of the 44th District Court. Booth is charged with one count of homicide, first-degree murder, which carries a penalty of life in prison; one count of second-degree child abuse, a 10-year felony; one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, a four-year felony; and three counts of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer, a two-year felony. 

Booth’s attorney, Richard Terrell Taylor, declined to make a comment at this time. The next scheduled hearing will be at 9:31 a.m. Jan. 9, 2026.