Missing 86-year-old lottery winner found stabbed to death

86-year-old Arthur Neal 

DETROIT - The elderly lottery winner who went missing the day after his windfall was found murdered Sunday.

Family and friends of 86-year-old Arthur Neal hoped for his safe return, but he was found stabbed multiple times in the basement of a house on Detroit's west side.

He was found in the 15800 block of Mansfield after someone discovered a body in the basement of the house next door. 

Sources tell FOX 2 it was the body of  Neal, the man who won $20,000 in the lottery Dec.19 and disappeared the next day.

It is unknown if the winning ticket was cashed in or not. 

 "That's who was there, oh," said Fred, a neighbor next door. "That's why it's not good to identify yourself picking up that money. I'm sorry to hear that."

It is not clear if Neal's new-found fortune was a motive in his death. His family grew concerned after they had not heard from their grandfather - especially around the holidays.

They had put out a plea and searched. Days turned into weeks.

On Sunday Neal's body was hidden under a tarp. An autopsy revealed he had been stabbed multiple times.

"That's scary," Fred said. "That's scary. I have vacant houses on both sides of me - it's scary."

Fred said nothing seemed unusual until he remembered a friendly young man who he recently saw go in and out of the house.

"I thought he was staying there squatting there, not disturbing the property," Fred said.

Police are asking questions and searching for the person responsible.

In the meantime, neighbors who live near Neal's Detroit house on Trinity were saddened to hear their friend, who was missing for six weeks would not be coming home alive.

"I hate to hear he is gone," said one neighbor.

"It's sad is all I can say," said another. "A good man, just gone."

FOX 2 spoke to one of Neal's granddaughters but she declined comment saying she was too upset.

1 TIMOTHY 6:

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

PROVERBS 1:

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.