A murder in Silver Spring, Maryland had ties to a very influential Motown producer and engineer. Lawrence Horn, a musical talent who was responsible for producing a large number of Motown hits during the 1960s would mastermind an unthinkable murder in 1993 all for greed.

The Murder

Lawrence Horn worked for Motown between 1964 and 1990 with most of his early work being with Jr. Walker and the All Stars. It was during the 1964-1967 period that he innovated a number of production and engineering techniques used by the label.

After being fired in 1990, Lawrence Horn would end up in debt. In that time, his 8-year old son Trevor Horn had a botched operation that left him a quadriplegic. The younger Horn would win a settlement for $1.7 million shortly afterward. It was in 1993 that the elder Horn decided that he wanted the money from his son’s trust fund.

To get it, his son would have to die as would his ex-wife, Mildred Horn. He reached out to an acquaintance in James Perry, described as “street preacher” from Detroit to commit the murders. Perry would purchase the Paladin Press book ‘Hit Man’ as a means of learning how to commit the murders. On March 3, 1993, Perry murdered Trevor and Mildren Horn as well as an overnight nurse, Janice Saunders.

Trial

With the details laid out by the prosecution, both Lawrence Horn and James Perry were found guilty of murders and conspiracy. Perry was sentenced to three death penalties in 1995 and in 1996, Horn was given life. In 1997, Paladin was sued for publishing ‘Hit Man’ and would stop pressing the book. Perry’s conviction was overturned on appeals and he was given three life terms in 2001. By the end of 2009, Perry had died in prison. Horn would die in February 2017.

References
-https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/montgom/hitmen/horn.htm
-https://www.discogs.com/artist/388572-Lawrence-Horn?filter_anv=0&subtype=Production&type=Credits