by Ran
Updated 3/2/18
Ezra Brown was born in 1962. Gregory was born two years later. Reginald Brown was born on January 30, 1966. Terrance Brown came long in 1968. Their father, a factory worker, provided for the family while their mother, a housewife, maintained the home. Each of the four Brown brothers, who grew up in East Detroit, eventually reached at least 6'2" and 230 pounds.
In April of 1982, Ezra, known by the street name "Wizard", pleaded guilty to attempted possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. He was subsequently sentenced to community service and one year of probation but after violating probation, he was sent to jail for six months. In August of 1983, he and a friend were arrested and charged with the theft of a Cadillac Eldorado. That case was dismissed.
In July of 1985, Gregory, known by the street name "Ghost", also pleaded guilty to attempted possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Not finding himself as fortunate his older brother, he was sentenced to two years of probation to Ezra's one. That same year, the brothers joined forces, under Terrance's leadership, and became a murder-for-hire organization, committing contract killings for local drug dealers.
The Browns later moved on to committing contract murders local drug dealers and, eventually, East Side Detroit kingpin Richard "Maserati Rick" Carter hired the brothers as a permanent enforcement arm for his and business partner Demetrius "Meech" Holloway's drug operation. Initially, Carter, who had a boxing background, was the enforcer for the organization but the duo sought further protection as the business grew. They eventually incorporated the Best Friends gang, formerly the Wrecking Crew, into the organization for added muscle. Aside from adding them to the payroll, Carter provided the Brown brothers with assault weapons, bulletproof vests and defense attorneys when legal aid was needed.
By 1986, a rift developed between Holloway and the Browns because the former objected to Carter introducing Terrance Brown to his Colombian cocaine supplier, "Mike". As the two spoke, at Carter's apartment, the Colombian national agreed to do business with Terrance for $150,000 up front. The new connection spurred the Browns to act on their ambition to enter the Detroit cocaine trade on their own and to encroach on Holloway's territory.
By 1986, the Best Friends had grown to between 25 to 50 members, including: Michael Williams; Stacey "The Machine" Culbert; Reginald "Little Reg" Moore; Thomas "K.O." Carr; Joe "Sticks" Moore; Jessie "Beck" Anderson; Leondre Patton; Michael Smith; Mario Brown; William Brown; Tyreese Washington; and U.S. Army veteran Nathaniel "Boone" Craft. Craft's nickname was a reference to his prowess with knives. Craft and other enforcers for the group would sometimes be paid in cocaine, which they'd sell, keeping all of the proceeds.
Craft was initially recruited into the organization as Carter's personal bodyguard after the two met at a local pizzeria. After Carter diffused an altercation between one of his associates and Craft -- Carter's friend had failed to apologize for bumping into Craft -- he asked to speak with him outside in his Mercedes. The 225-pound Craft declined, citing the car's size as being too small for him. Nevertheless, Craft took Carter up on his offer to pay him $600 just to hang out with him for the next couple of hours. Carter then took Craft to his car wash and offered him $2,000 cash on the spot to agree to be his personal muscle. The Browns and Best Friends member James Lee "Jimmie the Bruiser" Denard later took notice of the big man's skills three months later after seeing him compete in a local Toughman Contest at Detroit's Cobo Hall (now Cobo Center). One of Craft's opponents in the contest, whom he defeated, was Eric "Butterbean" Esch, who would go on to become a professional boxer and win the super heavyweight title.
Best Friends members were known for wearing large gold chains, driving Volvos and wearing bulletproof vests under jackets with "Best Friends" embroidered on the back. They frequently cruised Detroit's Belle Isle and partied at the city's Rado Lounge nightclub. Aware that they were under constant law enforcement surveillance, the group routinely spoke in code when communicating with each other by telephone.
Reginald, known by the street name "Rockin' Reg", who acted as the organization's chief enforcer, was charged with the September 1986 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Carlton Journey and wounding of Pamela Robinson but was ultimately acquitted.
On December 20, 1986, Ezra and Terrance, known by the street name "Boogaloo", became the victims of a drive-by shooting while sitting in a Chevy Blazer parked near Detroit's Seventh police precinct. Terrance, who'd been shot in the head, managed to stagger to the nearby police station and throw a brick through a window in order to get the attention of officers inside. Both brothers were taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital, Michigan's first Level I Trauma Center, where Ezra was pronounced dead on arrival. Within a week, Terrance checked himself out of the hospital. It was widely believed that the perpetrator(s) acted on behalf of Holloway.
Ezra's funeral was held on December 27. That same day, Gregory was shot to death during a drive-by while walking on Peter Hunt Street near Gratiot Avenue on Detroit's east side. Gregory, who was dressed in the tuxedo he'd worn to Ezra's funeral, was shot several times in the head. An associate, Andre Patrick, who was walking with Brown at the time, was struck as well. Patrick was listed in serious condition after being transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital.
Initially, the East Side was shared by local drug kingpins, with the lion's share going to Holloway and Carter. Edward "Big Ed" Hanserd controlled Jefferson Boulevard [Avenue]; the 430 Crew, headed by Rob Boyd, dominated Conner and Warren; and the Brown's held sway over the Van Dyke/Harper area. But following Gregory's death, Reggie and Terrance set out to take over the entire region. What's more, Terrance, suspecting Holloway of being the culprit behind his brothers' deaths, reportedly placed him at the top of a hit list.
In May of 1987, Reggie was accused of fatally shooting Kirt Levy and wounding William Miles but the case was eventually dismissed.
Best Friends enforcer Darryl Hardy was also shot to death that year.
Another Best Friends enforcer, Patrick "Lunchmeat" Johnson, was shot to death on June 13, 1987.
In August of 1987, 17-year-old Detroit resident Mark Murray was murdered in Michigan's Genesee Township. Murray was believed to be skimming money off the top from his employers, Antonio and Willie Lee Smiley. The Smiley brothers, who hailed from Detroit, controlled that area's operations for the Best Friends. Antonio would later be convicted of first-degree murder.
On September 12, 1987 an associate of teen drug dealer and confidential informant Richard "White Boy Rick" Wershe, Steve "Freaky Steve" Roussell, was murdered when Reggie Brown shot him to death with an Uzi as he slept. Brown, who'd reportedly had a dispute with Roussell over a mutual female acquaintance, entered Roussell's residence in the 13600 block of Glenwood in the early morning hours and shot the latter as well as his cousin, Patrick "Little Pat" McCloud, who survived, who'd been sleeping in the living room and was awakened by gunfire.
That same year, Wershe was targeted in an unsuccessful drive-by while riding in the passenger seat of a friend's convertible. While the two were stopped at a red light, a van pulled up beside them. The sliding door opened and the two were only saved from the gunfire that followed because they ran the light. Nate "Boone" Craft, who'd eventually have 30 murders to his credit, later admitted to being the trigger-man.
Reggie was convicted of carrying or possessing a firearm when committing or attempting to commit a felony, assault with intent to commit murder and second-degree murder in connection with the Steve Roussell shooting.
On May 20, 1988, he was sentenced to two years for the weapons violation, 20 to 40 years for the assault with intent to commit murder and life for the murder conviction. Though Brown was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, partly due to McCloud's testimony, he was released after the conviction was overturned on appeal fifteen months after the shooting.
In June, alleged Best Friends member James Lee "Jimmie the Bruiser" Denard led Michigan state police on a high-speed chase for eight miles heading east on I-96 near Ionia, MI. After Denard's turbo-charged 1987 Volvo was stopped and searched, police found $8,000 in cash that he claimed was earned mowing lawns.
On September 12, 1988, Carter was murdered in his bed at Detroit's Mt. Carmel Mercy Hospital, where he was recuperating from gunshot wounds sustained in a shootout two days earlier. The next day, Holloway testified in Recorder's Court, which had exclusive jurisdiction over all felony cases committed in the City of Detroit, on behalf of James "Red" Freeman at the latter's weapons and drug trial. Investigators estimated that at his peak, 80% of the cocaine distributed in Detroit could be attributed to Holloway.
Following Nate Craft's October arrest for drug possession, the seasoned hitman's sister informed him that their younger brother had been killed on Terrance Brown's orders for failing to pay a drug debt. Seeking revenge, Craft agreed to become a confidential informant for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
In November, Holloway was seemingly abducted from Top Hat Hamburgers, located on the corner of McClellan and Gratiot, by four masked men who forced him into the trunk of their car after firing shots into the air.
By 1989, the Best Friends organization had expanded beyond Detroit to other Michigan cities, including Lansing, Grand Rapids and Flint. According to then-head of the Grand Rapids DEA office, Jeffrey Kildow, absorbed smaller organizations in the area, forcing them to work for them. According to the FBI, much of the gang's leadership fell to Denard, since Reginald Brown was serving a life sentence and his brother, Terrance, was awaiting trial for a murder charge. Special Agent William Coonce, then-head of the DEA's (Drug Enforcement Administration) Detroit office, estimated that the gang was behind at least 15 Detroit homicides by that year. Not satisfied with Michigan, the organization also extended its reach to Lexington, Kentucky and the Ohio cities of Lima and Toledo. This expansion was facilitated by the group's use of the I-75 corridor, a major Interstate Highway which stretches from northern Michigan to southern Florida. At their peak, the Best Friends sold what amounted to approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine per week, generating $2 million in that time span.
Three months after Demetrius Holloway's disappearance, he resurfaced and his "kidnapping" was revealed to have been staged so that he could avoid his enemies.
On March 16, 1989, Terrance allegedly fatally shot rival Detroit drug trafficker James "Mr. Big" Lamont as he sat in his Suzuki Sidekick outside of the St. Regis Hotel in uptown Detroit's New Center section. He was charged with first-degree murder and eventually acquitted.
In August of 1990, members of Richard "Maserati Rick" Carter's organization attended a meeting near Detroit's 7 Mile Road and Runyon Street to determine how the group would proceed in the wake of the tensions that arose following Carter's September 12, 1988 murder. Since his death, a schism developed within the organization with a coalition led by Carter's older brother Clyde on one side and the Best Friends on the other. Not only did the talks fail to ease the rift, they ushered in a wave of violence.
On August 24, 19-year-old Dexter "Def Jam Dex" Washington, one of Clyde's followers, was murdered on the 7000 block of Eastside Detroit's Nagle Street. Exactly one week later, Best Friends-member Mark Patrick was shot to death by assailants who pulled alongside his red convertible BMW in northwest Inkster, MI. According to witnesses, Patrick and Clyde Carter loyalist Sterling Williamson had argued at a party prior to Patrick's murder.
On September 17, Clyde, and his girlfriend, Patricia Scott, were shot to death by an assailant using a 9mm handgun upon exiting his pickup truck with their 1-year-old son. The baby was unharmed. Sterling Williamson was shot to death outside of his residence on the 19400 block of Runyon Street by an Uzi-wielding triggerman wearing a bulletproof vest. Williamson's friend, Roosevelt Atkins, was hit by the gunfire as well. Mark Patrick's older brother Andre, who blamed Williamson for Mark's death, was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and assault with intent to murder for the shooting.
Monday, October 8, 1990, while shopping at the Broadway clothing store, located at 1247 Broadway in downtown Detroit, two blocks from Detroit Police headquarters, Demetrius Holloway was fatally shot twice in the back of the head at about 4 p.m. His body was found minutes after the shooting with the handgun and $17,000 cash he was carrying. An attendant working at the parking lot just north of the Broadway told police that two young men driving a black, late-model BMW had pulled up 45 minutes prior to the shooting and ordered him not to park the car, before handing him the keys and walking off. When they returned, they paid the attendant $10 and drove away. Lodrick Parker was charged and acquitted of the killing.
In July of 1991, Terrance Brown, suspecting that Craft was cooperating with the federal government, offered the latter $20,000 to kill an individual who'd murdered a Best Friends member. Unbeknownst to Craft, the true plan was for both he and the rival to be killed. When Craft, Charles "Chuckie Do" Wilkes and other members of the gang tracked the target down days later, the group opened fire on the taxi in which he was riding. However, Craft was also shot by his fellow enforcers and left for dead. He was subsequently found, taken to a local hospital and treated for gunshot wounds from a .357 handgun -- one of the weapons provided to the hit squad by Reggie Moore. Because Craft's participation in the shooting constituted a violation of his parole, he was consequently sentenced to 12-30 years in prison.
In August of 1991, Best Friends-associates, Charles "Chuckie Do" Wilkes and Lonnie "Lucky" O'Bryant shot Bernard Lamar to death on orders from Terrance. Wilkes eventually pleaded guilty.
In February of 1992, Reggie was released on bond after Recorder's Court Judge George Crockett III ordered a new trial for his firearms and murder charges. His bond was, however, revoked by the Michigan Court of Appeals the following month.
On March 9, according to witnesses, Reggie murdered four people on the porch of a home on [the east side of] Detroit's Buckingham Street. After casually strolling up to the house, Reggie initially shot Alfred "Chip" Austin, who'd previously informed the Browns that following his weapons violation charge in Kentucky, he'd been approached by federal agents who wanted him to cooperate in their investigation of Terrance. Following Austin's shooting, Reggie shot Lawrence Gainey and Harry Roper to death. The fourth victim, three-year-old Lori Roper, Harry's niece and Austin's cousin, is believed to have been shot accidentally. On March 14, witnesses picked Brown out of a photo array, leading 36th District Court Magistrate Richard Halloran, Jr. to sign a warrant charging him with using a firearm during the commission of a felony and first-degree murder.
On June 17, 1993, federal agents, who'd been tracking the Browns' phones, spotted Reggie, Terrance and William Wilkes at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Manhattan, New York. Reggie was apprehended attempting to get into a car and subsequently charged with second-degree murder. Wilkes, who was wanted in Detroit on federal narcotics charges, was caught on a motorcycle a block away from the dealership. Terrance, who was also wanted on federal drug charges, fled on a motorcycle before hitting a bystander and escaping into a subway station. By that time, the Browns had established operations in Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York City, New York.
June saw the indictment of 29 members and associates of the Best Friends organization in all, for 56 counts, with charges ranging from weapons violations and cocaine sales up to conspiracy and murder.
According to prosecutors, Terrance's attorney, Paul D. Curtis, gave him the identities of two informants and he subsequently had them killed. Months later, Curtis sent $600,000 to Terrance in Atlanta, Georgia for a cocaine deal that went wrong and ended in Brown's murder.
On August 9, Terrance's corpse was discovered at about 1 a.m. in the rear of a GMC Yukon, which had been stolen in Michigan, in the parking lot of the Ramada Renaissance Hotel in College Park, Georgia. Brown, who hadn't checked into the hotel, was killed by a single gunshot to the head. He was found wrapped in a Polo bed sheet and a plastic bag and wearing only a black T-shirt and underwear. Brown's body wasn't identified until August 12. Best Friends members Stacey "The Machine" Culbert and Charles "Chuckie Do" Wilkes are believed to have preemptively had Terrance murdered out of fear that he'd been planning to have the two of them killed.
On June 6, 1994, Best Friends member Stacey "The Machine" Culbert was apprehended when federal agents and Pennsylvania police broke into his motel room in Robinson Township, about 12 miles west of Pittsburgh. When agents broke down the door to his room, Culbert was wearing nothing but his underwear. Initially escaping through a connecting door, he punched a police officer and unsuccessfully attempted to take his gun. Officers in two police cars and 12 more on foot then chased Culbert across the parking lot of a shopping mall and into an office building, where he took a 71-year-old man hostage. With his hands around his throat, Culbert threatened to strangle the man to death if police didn't stop pursuing him. After police put a gun to his head, prompting him to release his hostage, Culbert was taken to the ground and arrested.
On December 27, 1994, Assistant U.S. Attorneys F. William Soisson and E. James King filed a six-page motion in U.S. District Court to have Reggie's defense counsel, Paul D. Curtis, removed from the case amid accusations that he'd revealed the identities, via 33 pages of federal documents, of informants, including Alfred Austin and Sidney Edwards, who were later murdered, to Terrance Brown -- whom he'd defended in the past. Curtis was also accused of providing Terrance with $600,000, for use in his Atlanta drug deal.
Stacey Culbert pleaded guilty to murder and weapons charges on September 6, 1995. His deal with federal prosecutors removed the risk of a potential death sentence following a trial involving eight other defendants that began the following day. Culbert accepted responsibility for killing Michael Mitchell and Frank Maxwell and two counts of using firearms. He was subsequently transported to USP Terre Haute (United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute) in Indiana to serve his sentence.
In 1999, federal investigators alleged that Holloway's murder nine years earlier was carried out by hired gunman Lester Milton, who was accompanied by his younger brother, Thomas, who drove the getaway car. Though Lester Milton was convicted of the murder in 2005, the Browns have long been suspected of ordering Holloway's shooting.
After being released from prison in 2008, Nate "Boone" Craft moved back to East side Detroit.
Stacey Culbert was from federal prison in February of 2018 after serving close to 25 years.
Reggie is currently serving his time at the medium-security Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, Michigan.
Investigators estimate the Best Friends organization to be responsible for upwards of 80 murders.
Nate "Boone" Craft
In April of 1982, Ezra, known by the street name "Wizard", pleaded guilty to attempted possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. He was subsequently sentenced to community service and one year of probation but after violating probation, he was sent to jail for six months. In August of 1983, he and a friend were arrested and charged with the theft of a Cadillac Eldorado. That case was dismissed.
In July of 1985, Gregory, known by the street name "Ghost", also pleaded guilty to attempted possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Not finding himself as fortunate his older brother, he was sentenced to two years of probation to Ezra's one. That same year, the brothers joined forces, under Terrance's leadership, and became a murder-for-hire organization, committing contract killings for local drug dealers.
The Browns later moved on to committing contract murders local drug dealers and, eventually, East Side Detroit kingpin Richard "Maserati Rick" Carter hired the brothers as a permanent enforcement arm for his and business partner Demetrius "Meech" Holloway's drug operation. Initially, Carter, who had a boxing background, was the enforcer for the organization but the duo sought further protection as the business grew. They eventually incorporated the Best Friends gang, formerly the Wrecking Crew, into the organization for added muscle. Aside from adding them to the payroll, Carter provided the Brown brothers with assault weapons, bulletproof vests and defense attorneys when legal aid was needed.
By 1986, a rift developed between Holloway and the Browns because the former objected to Carter introducing Terrance Brown to his Colombian cocaine supplier, "Mike". As the two spoke, at Carter's apartment, the Colombian national agreed to do business with Terrance for $150,000 up front. The new connection spurred the Browns to act on their ambition to enter the Detroit cocaine trade on their own and to encroach on Holloway's territory.
By 1986, the Best Friends had grown to between 25 to 50 members, including: Michael Williams; Stacey "The Machine" Culbert; Reginald "Little Reg" Moore; Thomas "K.O." Carr; Joe "Sticks" Moore; Jessie "Beck" Anderson; Leondre Patton; Michael Smith; Mario Brown; William Brown; Tyreese Washington; and U.S. Army veteran Nathaniel "Boone" Craft. Craft's nickname was a reference to his prowess with knives. Craft and other enforcers for the group would sometimes be paid in cocaine, which they'd sell, keeping all of the proceeds.
Craft was initially recruited into the organization as Carter's personal bodyguard after the two met at a local pizzeria. After Carter diffused an altercation between one of his associates and Craft -- Carter's friend had failed to apologize for bumping into Craft -- he asked to speak with him outside in his Mercedes. The 225-pound Craft declined, citing the car's size as being too small for him. Nevertheless, Craft took Carter up on his offer to pay him $600 just to hang out with him for the next couple of hours. Carter then took Craft to his car wash and offered him $2,000 cash on the spot to agree to be his personal muscle. The Browns and Best Friends member James Lee "Jimmie the Bruiser" Denard later took notice of the big man's skills three months later after seeing him compete in a local Toughman Contest at Detroit's Cobo Hall (now Cobo Center). One of Craft's opponents in the contest, whom he defeated, was Eric "Butterbean" Esch, who would go on to become a professional boxer and win the super heavyweight title.
Ezra "Wizard" Brown and Gregory "Ghost" Brown
Best Friends members were known for wearing large gold chains, driving Volvos and wearing bulletproof vests under jackets with "Best Friends" embroidered on the back. They frequently cruised Detroit's Belle Isle and partied at the city's Rado Lounge nightclub. Aware that they were under constant law enforcement surveillance, the group routinely spoke in code when communicating with each other by telephone.
Reginald, known by the street name "Rockin' Reg", who acted as the organization's chief enforcer, was charged with the September 1986 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Carlton Journey and wounding of Pamela Robinson but was ultimately acquitted.
On December 20, 1986, Ezra and Terrance, known by the street name "Boogaloo", became the victims of a drive-by shooting while sitting in a Chevy Blazer parked near Detroit's Seventh police precinct. Terrance, who'd been shot in the head, managed to stagger to the nearby police station and throw a brick through a window in order to get the attention of officers inside. Both brothers were taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital, Michigan's first Level I Trauma Center, where Ezra was pronounced dead on arrival. Within a week, Terrance checked himself out of the hospital. It was widely believed that the perpetrator(s) acted on behalf of Holloway.
Ezra's funeral was held on December 27. That same day, Gregory was shot to death during a drive-by while walking on Peter Hunt Street near Gratiot Avenue on Detroit's east side. Gregory, who was dressed in the tuxedo he'd worn to Ezra's funeral, was shot several times in the head. An associate, Andre Patrick, who was walking with Brown at the time, was struck as well. Patrick was listed in serious condition after being transported to Detroit Receiving Hospital.
Initially, the East Side was shared by local drug kingpins, with the lion's share going to Holloway and Carter. Edward "Big Ed" Hanserd controlled Jefferson Boulevard [Avenue]; the 430 Crew, headed by Rob Boyd, dominated Conner and Warren; and the Brown's held sway over the Van Dyke/Harper area. But following Gregory's death, Reggie and Terrance set out to take over the entire region. What's more, Terrance, suspecting Holloway of being the culprit behind his brothers' deaths, reportedly placed him at the top of a hit list.
In May of 1987, Reggie was accused of fatally shooting Kirt Levy and wounding William Miles but the case was eventually dismissed.
Best Friends enforcer Darryl Hardy was also shot to death that year.
Another Best Friends enforcer, Patrick "Lunchmeat" Johnson, was shot to death on June 13, 1987.
In August of 1987, 17-year-old Detroit resident Mark Murray was murdered in Michigan's Genesee Township. Murray was believed to be skimming money off the top from his employers, Antonio and Willie Lee Smiley. The Smiley brothers, who hailed from Detroit, controlled that area's operations for the Best Friends. Antonio would later be convicted of first-degree murder.
On September 12, 1987 an associate of teen drug dealer and confidential informant Richard "White Boy Rick" Wershe, Steve "Freaky Steve" Roussell, was murdered when Reggie Brown shot him to death with an Uzi as he slept. Brown, who'd reportedly had a dispute with Roussell over a mutual female acquaintance, entered Roussell's residence in the 13600 block of Glenwood in the early morning hours and shot the latter as well as his cousin, Patrick "Little Pat" McCloud, who survived, who'd been sleeping in the living room and was awakened by gunfire.
Terrance "Boogaloo" Brown
That same year, Wershe was targeted in an unsuccessful drive-by while riding in the passenger seat of a friend's convertible. While the two were stopped at a red light, a van pulled up beside them. The sliding door opened and the two were only saved from the gunfire that followed because they ran the light. Nate "Boone" Craft, who'd eventually have 30 murders to his credit, later admitted to being the trigger-man.
Reggie was convicted of carrying or possessing a firearm when committing or attempting to commit a felony, assault with intent to commit murder and second-degree murder in connection with the Steve Roussell shooting.
On May 20, 1988, he was sentenced to two years for the weapons violation, 20 to 40 years for the assault with intent to commit murder and life for the murder conviction. Though Brown was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, partly due to McCloud's testimony, he was released after the conviction was overturned on appeal fifteen months after the shooting.
In June, alleged Best Friends member James Lee "Jimmie the Bruiser" Denard led Michigan state police on a high-speed chase for eight miles heading east on I-96 near Ionia, MI. After Denard's turbo-charged 1987 Volvo was stopped and searched, police found $8,000 in cash that he claimed was earned mowing lawns.
On September 12, 1988, Carter was murdered in his bed at Detroit's Mt. Carmel Mercy Hospital, where he was recuperating from gunshot wounds sustained in a shootout two days earlier. The next day, Holloway testified in Recorder's Court, which had exclusive jurisdiction over all felony cases committed in the City of Detroit, on behalf of James "Red" Freeman at the latter's weapons and drug trial. Investigators estimated that at his peak, 80% of the cocaine distributed in Detroit could be attributed to Holloway.
Following Nate Craft's October arrest for drug possession, the seasoned hitman's sister informed him that their younger brother had been killed on Terrance Brown's orders for failing to pay a drug debt. Seeking revenge, Craft agreed to become a confidential informant for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
In November, Holloway was seemingly abducted from Top Hat Hamburgers, located on the corner of McClellan and Gratiot, by four masked men who forced him into the trunk of their car after firing shots into the air.
By 1989, the Best Friends organization had expanded beyond Detroit to other Michigan cities, including Lansing, Grand Rapids and Flint. According to then-head of the Grand Rapids DEA office, Jeffrey Kildow, absorbed smaller organizations in the area, forcing them to work for them. According to the FBI, much of the gang's leadership fell to Denard, since Reginald Brown was serving a life sentence and his brother, Terrance, was awaiting trial for a murder charge. Special Agent William Coonce, then-head of the DEA's (Drug Enforcement Administration) Detroit office, estimated that the gang was behind at least 15 Detroit homicides by that year. Not satisfied with Michigan, the organization also extended its reach to Lexington, Kentucky and the Ohio cities of Lima and Toledo. This expansion was facilitated by the group's use of the I-75 corridor, a major Interstate Highway which stretches from northern Michigan to southern Florida. At their peak, the Best Friends sold what amounted to approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine per week, generating $2 million in that time span.
Three months after Demetrius Holloway's disappearance, he resurfaced and his "kidnapping" was revealed to have been staged so that he could avoid his enemies.
On March 16, 1989, Terrance allegedly fatally shot rival Detroit drug trafficker James "Mr. Big" Lamont as he sat in his Suzuki Sidekick outside of the St. Regis Hotel in uptown Detroit's New Center section. He was charged with first-degree murder and eventually acquitted.
In August of 1990, members of Richard "Maserati Rick" Carter's organization attended a meeting near Detroit's 7 Mile Road and Runyon Street to determine how the group would proceed in the wake of the tensions that arose following Carter's September 12, 1988 murder. Since his death, a schism developed within the organization with a coalition led by Carter's older brother Clyde on one side and the Best Friends on the other. Not only did the talks fail to ease the rift, they ushered in a wave of violence.
Reginald "Rockin' Reg" Brown
On August 24, 19-year-old Dexter "Def Jam Dex" Washington, one of Clyde's followers, was murdered on the 7000 block of Eastside Detroit's Nagle Street. Exactly one week later, Best Friends-member Mark Patrick was shot to death by assailants who pulled alongside his red convertible BMW in northwest Inkster, MI. According to witnesses, Patrick and Clyde Carter loyalist Sterling Williamson had argued at a party prior to Patrick's murder.
On September 17, Clyde, and his girlfriend, Patricia Scott, were shot to death by an assailant using a 9mm handgun upon exiting his pickup truck with their 1-year-old son. The baby was unharmed. Sterling Williamson was shot to death outside of his residence on the 19400 block of Runyon Street by an Uzi-wielding triggerman wearing a bulletproof vest. Williamson's friend, Roosevelt Atkins, was hit by the gunfire as well. Mark Patrick's older brother Andre, who blamed Williamson for Mark's death, was subsequently charged with first-degree murder and assault with intent to murder for the shooting.
Monday, October 8, 1990, while shopping at the Broadway clothing store, located at 1247 Broadway in downtown Detroit, two blocks from Detroit Police headquarters, Demetrius Holloway was fatally shot twice in the back of the head at about 4 p.m. His body was found minutes after the shooting with the handgun and $17,000 cash he was carrying. An attendant working at the parking lot just north of the Broadway told police that two young men driving a black, late-model BMW had pulled up 45 minutes prior to the shooting and ordered him not to park the car, before handing him the keys and walking off. When they returned, they paid the attendant $10 and drove away. Lodrick Parker was charged and acquitted of the killing.
In July of 1991, Terrance Brown, suspecting that Craft was cooperating with the federal government, offered the latter $20,000 to kill an individual who'd murdered a Best Friends member. Unbeknownst to Craft, the true plan was for both he and the rival to be killed. When Craft, Charles "Chuckie Do" Wilkes and other members of the gang tracked the target down days later, the group opened fire on the taxi in which he was riding. However, Craft was also shot by his fellow enforcers and left for dead. He was subsequently found, taken to a local hospital and treated for gunshot wounds from a .357 handgun -- one of the weapons provided to the hit squad by Reggie Moore. Because Craft's participation in the shooting constituted a violation of his parole, he was consequently sentenced to 12-30 years in prison.
In August of 1991, Best Friends-associates, Charles "Chuckie Do" Wilkes and Lonnie "Lucky" O'Bryant shot Bernard Lamar to death on orders from Terrance. Wilkes eventually pleaded guilty.
In February of 1992, Reggie was released on bond after Recorder's Court Judge George Crockett III ordered a new trial for his firearms and murder charges. His bond was, however, revoked by the Michigan Court of Appeals the following month.
On March 9, according to witnesses, Reggie murdered four people on the porch of a home on [the east side of] Detroit's Buckingham Street. After casually strolling up to the house, Reggie initially shot Alfred "Chip" Austin, who'd previously informed the Browns that following his weapons violation charge in Kentucky, he'd been approached by federal agents who wanted him to cooperate in their investigation of Terrance. Following Austin's shooting, Reggie shot Lawrence Gainey and Harry Roper to death. The fourth victim, three-year-old Lori Roper, Harry's niece and Austin's cousin, is believed to have been shot accidentally. On March 14, witnesses picked Brown out of a photo array, leading 36th District Court Magistrate Richard Halloran, Jr. to sign a warrant charging him with using a firearm during the commission of a felony and first-degree murder.
On June 17, 1993, federal agents, who'd been tracking the Browns' phones, spotted Reggie, Terrance and William Wilkes at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Manhattan, New York. Reggie was apprehended attempting to get into a car and subsequently charged with second-degree murder. Wilkes, who was wanted in Detroit on federal narcotics charges, was caught on a motorcycle a block away from the dealership. Terrance, who was also wanted on federal drug charges, fled on a motorcycle before hitting a bystander and escaping into a subway station. By that time, the Browns had established operations in Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York City, New York.
June saw the indictment of 29 members and associates of the Best Friends organization in all, for 56 counts, with charges ranging from weapons violations and cocaine sales up to conspiracy and murder.
According to prosecutors, Terrance's attorney, Paul D. Curtis, gave him the identities of two informants and he subsequently had them killed. Months later, Curtis sent $600,000 to Terrance in Atlanta, Georgia for a cocaine deal that went wrong and ended in Brown's murder.
Rockin' Reg
On August 9, Terrance's corpse was discovered at about 1 a.m. in the rear of a GMC Yukon, which had been stolen in Michigan, in the parking lot of the Ramada Renaissance Hotel in College Park, Georgia. Brown, who hadn't checked into the hotel, was killed by a single gunshot to the head. He was found wrapped in a Polo bed sheet and a plastic bag and wearing only a black T-shirt and underwear. Brown's body wasn't identified until August 12. Best Friends members Stacey "The Machine" Culbert and Charles "Chuckie Do" Wilkes are believed to have preemptively had Terrance murdered out of fear that he'd been planning to have the two of them killed.
On June 6, 1994, Best Friends member Stacey "The Machine" Culbert was apprehended when federal agents and Pennsylvania police broke into his motel room in Robinson Township, about 12 miles west of Pittsburgh. When agents broke down the door to his room, Culbert was wearing nothing but his underwear. Initially escaping through a connecting door, he punched a police officer and unsuccessfully attempted to take his gun. Officers in two police cars and 12 more on foot then chased Culbert across the parking lot of a shopping mall and into an office building, where he took a 71-year-old man hostage. With his hands around his throat, Culbert threatened to strangle the man to death if police didn't stop pursuing him. After police put a gun to his head, prompting him to release his hostage, Culbert was taken to the ground and arrested.
On December 27, 1994, Assistant U.S. Attorneys F. William Soisson and E. James King filed a six-page motion in U.S. District Court to have Reggie's defense counsel, Paul D. Curtis, removed from the case amid accusations that he'd revealed the identities, via 33 pages of federal documents, of informants, including Alfred Austin and Sidney Edwards, who were later murdered, to Terrance Brown -- whom he'd defended in the past. Curtis was also accused of providing Terrance with $600,000, for use in his Atlanta drug deal.
Stacey Culbert pleaded guilty to murder and weapons charges on September 6, 1995. His deal with federal prosecutors removed the risk of a potential death sentence following a trial involving eight other defendants that began the following day. Culbert accepted responsibility for killing Michael Mitchell and Frank Maxwell and two counts of using firearms. He was subsequently transported to USP Terre Haute (United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute) in Indiana to serve his sentence.
In 1999, federal investigators alleged that Holloway's murder nine years earlier was carried out by hired gunman Lester Milton, who was accompanied by his younger brother, Thomas, who drove the getaway car. Though Lester Milton was convicted of the murder in 2005, the Browns have long been suspected of ordering Holloway's shooting.
After being released from prison in 2008, Nate "Boone" Craft moved back to East side Detroit.
Stacey Culbert was from federal prison in February of 2018 after serving close to 25 years.
Reggie is currently serving his time at the medium-security Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, Michigan.
Investigators estimate the Best Friends organization to be responsible for upwards of 80 murders.
Stacey Culbert
