Police said investigators found evidence of years of conflict before the 23-year-old victim was shot inside the brothers’ home.
SOUTHFIELD, MI — A 21-year-old Southfield man pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he fatally shot his older brother inside their home, a killing police say followed years of conflict and apparent jealousy between the brothers.
Breylon Roberts is charged with first-degree premeditated murder and felony firearm in the death of his 23-year-old brother, Trey Cameron Roberts. Police Chief Elvin Barren said investigators believe tension between the brothers had been building for years and that relatives and friends repeatedly described jealousy over Trey’s perceived success as part of the conflict.
Police were called to a home on Dorset Avenue on Oct. 19 after the brothers’ 17-year-old sister reported finding blood and what appeared to be bullet holes. Officers entered the home and found Trey Roberts dead in the kitchen from multiple gunshot wounds, according to police.
Investigators recovered 17 spent 9mm shell casings from the kitchen. Police also searched a Jeep Grand Cherokee registered to Breylon Roberts and recovered a privately manufactured firearm from beneath the driver’s seat. Barren said ballistic testing linked the gun to evidence recovered inside the home.
Nearby surveillance footage captured the sound of 17 gunshots shortly after 12:46 p.m., according to investigators. Police said video then showed Breylon Roberts leaving the home with a dog about a minute later. Witnesses told investigators that it was unusual for Roberts to walk the dog, Barren said.
Police said Roberts later returned to the home and drove away in his vehicle. Investigators interviewed relatives and friends as they worked to determine what may have led to the shooting. Barren said those interviews pointed to a long-running dispute between the brothers and an alleged belief by Roberts that his older brother was more successful.
Barren compared the alleged jealousy described by investigators to the biblical story of Cain and Abel while discussing the case at a Friday news conference. He also described the killing as a devastating act of violence within a family. The brothers’ teenage sister discovered the scene, and Barren said the family was seeking support for her following the shooting.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said the case involved a killing inside the victim’s own home. Prosecutors allege Breylon Roberts shot his brother multiple times. A first-degree premeditated murder conviction in Michigan carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Roberts has entered a not guilty plea, and the allegations against him have not been proven in court. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 5 as the criminal case continues.
Author note: Last updated October 24, 2026.