A Michigan poker player charged with first-degree murder posted disturbing videos on Facebook shortly before allegedly killing a stranger, suggesting severe mental distress.

Craig Michael Bergeron, 35, was arrested on Christmas Eve for the murder of Tommy Ireland, 37, on Detroit's east side on December 23. He faces additional charges of felony firearm possession.

The victim's family, who held a candlelit vigil, described Ireland as "a gentle giant" who "loved everyone." They stated there was no known connection between Ireland and his alleged killer.

Hours before the incident, Bergeron posted several concerning videos on Facebook, displaying paranoid behavior and fear of law enforcement. In one video, he frantically recorded police vehicles while driving, claiming they were escorting him out of Warren, a Detroit suburb. Another video showed him in apparent distress, claiming someone had pulled a gun on him.

Bergeron, known in online poker circles as "hu4rollz," has over $1.3 million in tournament earnings, including a fourth-place finish at EPT Deauville ($312,853) in 2010 and a World Series of Poker Circuit ring in 2011. He had been absent from the live poker scene for approximately five years.

Former associates from the poker community expressed shock at the news, remembering Bergeron as a generous person who once traveled to Vancouver to help a friend struggling with addiction. According to police reports, after the shooting, Bergeron fled in a white SUV and allegedly assaulted another victim nearby.

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