Robert Silver: Michigan court officer shot dead on day of mother and sister's funeral while serving eviction notice

PORT HURON, MICHIGAN: Robert J 'Bob' Silver, a 66-year-old court officer from Michigan, was killed by a gunshot while performing his duty of delivering an eviction notice on December 28.

The tragic incident happened on the same day that he was supposed to attend the funeral of his mother and sister who died in a house fire three weeks earlier.

Michael Stickler's shooting suspect was arrested and charged with open murder and felony firearm

The shooter, identified as Michael Stickler, 49, was arrested by the Clay Township police after a standoff at his residence where Silver’s body was found.

Stickler was arraigned on January 1 and is being held on a $1 million bond at the St Clair County Jail. He faces charges of open murder and felony firearm which could result in life imprisonment and a two-year sentence, respectively.

Bob was married to the "love of his life", Linda, and they treasured their relationship by being together for 40 years.

Robert  Silver was a veteran court officer for 35 years

Silver had been working as a court officer for St Clair County for 35 years and was well-respected by his colleagues and friends, according to his obituary. 

Silver was born in Detroit and has left for a short time to serve in the US Army stationed in Germany, for which he was always proud. He was serving a routine eviction notice to Stickler, whom he had visited once before, but for the second time was shot.

Silver was unreachable for hours until the police discovered his corpse at the 6100 block of Genaw Road in Clay Township around 2 pm on December 28.

Friends and family mourn Robert J 'Bob' Silver's tragic loss 

Silver’s death came as a shock to his friends and family, who were already grieving the loss of his mother and sister, who perished in a house fire on December 7.

Silver was supposed to join their funeral service on the day of his murder. Lisa Fowler, a friend and bartender at Moose Lodge 158 in Port Huron, where Silver played pool every Tuesday night, said it was "mind-blowing" that someone could commit such a cruel act.

"It’s just mind-blowing that somebody would do that," Fowler told Fox 2, adding "His mother and sister just passed away. He was supposed to be at the funeral that day that it happened."

Fowler described Silver as a "great guy"  who was loved by everyone at the lodge. "They had pool last night, so I know they really missed him downstairs,’ she said, adding "It was really hard on all of them."

Fowler said the lodge members are ready to support them in any way they can. "We are all here for them, if they need anything all they have to do is come,’ she said, adding "We’re here with open arms."