How The Man Behind Motown’s Sound Conspired To Kill His Family For Money

Lawrence Horn was the chief engineer behind “the Motown sound.” He built, used, and guarded the sound mixing equipment used for hits by The Supremes, The Jackson 5, and The Four Tops, among others, in the 1960s. Horn built a reputation and a good life that included a wife and three children. But the good times didn’t last: his son was completely disabled, and Berry Gordy sold Motown in 1988. Horn was edged out of the sound room, and fell on hard times. Meanwhile, his now ex-wife was in charge of a hefty settlement from the hospital for his son’s disability. 

In the spring of 1992, Thomas Turner heard a knock on the door of his Detroit home; it was his cousin Lawrence Horn. Horn told Turner about his money issues, about the overdue child support payments and the narrow L.A. apartment he was relegated to, and how Mildred had all the money and he had none, and the $1.7 million trust fund in Trevor’s name. Turner handed Horn a business card, one that had the phrases “spiritual adviser” and “House of Wisdom” printed on it. It was for a self-described minister named James Edward Perry.

“Give Mr. Perry a call,” Turner said to his cousin. “He helps people.”

On March 2nd, 1993, Perry entered Mildred Horn’s home and killed her, her disabled son, and the child’s caretaker. Uproxx tells the tale of the events that let up to that night, and how Perry and Horn were linked to the murder.