Kidnapping suspect dies after chase

11-6-2012 Michigan:

A suspect in a kidnapping and sexual assault died after crashing during a police chase Tuesday, according to Michigan State Police at the Mt. Pleasant Post.

The dead man is identified as Robert Lee Mongar of Cadillac.

According to a statement from troopers, Mongar reportedly physically and sexually assaulted a female acquaintance in Wexford County, then tied her up, put her in her vehicle and drove south.

She managed to escape and run into a gas station near Stanwood when Mongar stopped for fuel. The victim was still restrained, but store employees helped her.

Mongar sped off, but a state trooper spotted the vehicle, which did not stop. Instead, he fled into deeply forested Newaygo County.

The chase led down a dirt road, and troopers said Mongar drove the car off the road where the road curved, and hit a large stand of mature trees. There was no indication the driver tried to brake or make the turn, troopers said.

Mongar was pronounced dead at the scene. There was no immediate word on the condition of the victim. ..Source.. by Morning Sun

Neighbors, family shocked at shooting death of 92-year-old Flint man

10-30-2012 Michigan:

FLINT, MI -- Police continue to investigate the shooting death Oct. 30 of a man believed to be the oldest homicide victim in recent memory.

Iris Gardner, 92, heard a knock on his door around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday at his home on Race Street near Myrtle Avenue, police said. When he opened the door, someone shot him once in the torso and fled the scene, police said. Police have no suspect information.

Flint Police Capt. T.P. Johnson said he can't remember an older homicide victim in his 27 years with the department.

"Obviously he was no threat to anyone," he said. "This was a random act of violence that did not have any rhyme or reason to it."

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Gardner was one of the older homicide victims he's heard of during his time as prosecutor.

"It's terrible, just terrible," Leyton said. "It's very difficult to imagine how a 92-year- old was a threat to anyone."

Gardner's niece, Joann Cooper, 55, of Flint, said her family is shocked that her uncle would die that way.

"I never figured he would get gunned down in his own house," she said. "One part is anger, and the other part is grieving. It's like two emotions wrapped into one."

Detective Robert Dunham said police have very little information to go on and that the crime is disturbing.

"The worst thing about the whole thing is the people that did it aren't talking," he said. "They are out running the streets. If they are willing to kill a 92-year-old, who wouldn't they kill?"

Cooper said her uncle grew up during the Great Depression in a small town in Georgia. He would talk about being so poor that he had to walk to school in his bare feet during the winter, she said.

He came to Flint in the 1950s or 1960s and worked as a supervisor at a junkyard for 30 years, Cooper said. In his older age, he still remained active, continuing to drive, walk around in the neighborhood and do yard work, family said.

"If you would have saw him, you would have thought he was still 78," Cooper said.

He was a World War II veteran and a big fan of the Detroit Tigers who was excited about the team's recent playoff run.

Gardner did have a brush with the law. He was on the state sex offender registry for a 1993 conviction of misdemeanor criminal sexual conduct, fourth degree, according to records. He served 90 days in the Genesee County Jail. Cooper said his family maintains that he was innocent, and his accuser later recanted her story.

Neighbor Elois Thames, 26, said Gardner was a friendly man. She was upset that he would die in a violent manner.

"It's just senseless, he didn't bother anybody," she said.

Cooper said Gardner did not have any children and was the last surviving member of his siblings. Funeral arrangements are being handled at Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home.

In the meantime, his family will continue to grieve his death.

"It's like somebody ripped out your heart and took it," Cooper said. ..Source.. by David Harris

Body found in cemetery identified as sex offender

6-14-2012 Michigan:

We now know the identity of a man found dead Thursday morning in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Around 7:15 a.m. a person walking along a path through the cemetery found the body near the intersection of Eastern and Hall Street SE.

Tracing a license plate of a vehicle near the body, WZZM 13 has learned the man is Robert Shields, 67. He was a registered sex offender living in Omega Life Alternatives, a halfway house on Eastern Avenue about half a mile north of the cemetery.

Records show Shields was convicted of first-degree sexual assault in Newaygo County in 1981. In 1999, Shields was convicted in Kent County of one count of second-degree sex assault involving a victim younger than 13. He was released from jail in January 2011.

Police say Shields was lying next to a grave stone and they also found a van registered in his name near his body. The scene was marked off with crime tape Thursday morning and investigators used several cones marking evidence of some sort.

Authorities have yet to confirm the body's identity to the media or release the circumstances surrounding his death. They tell WZZM 13 the death is "suspicious." ..Source.. by Chris Zoladz, Multi-Media Producer, WZZM 13

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Police: Man found dead in Oak Hill Cemetery died of multiple stab wounds

Robert Louis Shields, the man found dead this morning in Oak Hill Cemetery, died of multiple stab wounds and police are investigating the case as a homicide.

Shields, 67, was found by a walker in the cemetery about 7:15 a.m. and police found his van parked on the south side of the grounds this morning.

In a release issued late today, police named Shields as the victim. But he was identified earlier in the day as the victim by officials at Omega Life Alternatives, a halfway house at 722 Eastern Avenue SE where Shields had lived for a little more than a month.

Shields is a registered sex offender and was released from prison in January 2011 after spending several years behind bars for a 1999 sex assault against a 7-year-old.

Oak Hill Cemetery, at Eastern Avenue SE and Hall Street, is not far from the halfway house.

Eric Price, a manager at Omega Life Alternatives, said he believed Shields had been out with his girlfriend Wednesday evening.

He was supposed to return for an 11 p.m. curfew, but did not.

Price was told that Shields' girlfriend was in the hospital, but it was unclear why.

Police released no other details about who may have stabbed Shields or how the van ended up in the cemetery. ..Source.. by John Tunison

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Body found in cemetery identified as sex offender

We now know the identity of a man found dead Thursday morning in Oak Hill Cemetery.

The Executive Director of Omega Life Alternatives says the victim is 67-year old Robert Shields. A resident at the transitional home. "Last night was the first night he broke curfew, we knew something was wrong," says Price. He says Shields moved-in a month ago. "We mentor guys who have been in trouble with the law or they don't have family or may have made mistakes in general."

Sheilds had been in prison off and on for criminal sexual conduct since 1981. He was released early last year and had been working as a maintenance man before he moved to Omega Life. "And everything he put his hand to, he saw that needed fixed-up, he did it, so he was kind and generous."

Just after 7am someone walking at Oakhill Cemetery discovered shields body near a grave. Grand Rapids police taped off a large portion of the cemetery and marked potential evidence with cones.

Captain Eric Payne says, "Well, just because of the size of the cemetery, we want to make sure we're not missing anything. it's a large area to process."

Because of the injuries to shields body, police are investigating the death as a suspicious death. At Omega Life, Price says although he didn't know Shields very long, it's sad to hear. "No matter what they've done in the past, you hate seeing tragedy like that." ..Source.. by Chris Zoladz

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Girlfriend held in GR cemetery stabbing

6-14-2012:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A woman is being held in the stabbing of a 67-year-old man found dead early Thursday morning by a jogger along a path through Grand Rapids' Oakhill Cemetery.

On Thursday evening, Grand Rapids police announced they had ruled the death of Robert Louis Shields a homicide.

Authorities said he was stabbed multiple times.

Christina Miller is being held in the Kent County Jail in connection with the case, 24 Hour News 8 confirmed.

Jail records indicate Miller was charged on two counts of obstructing police, one count of providing false information, and one count is failure to obey instructions on Friday.

No arraignment has been set yet.

Sheilds's brother told 24 Hour News 8 earlier Thursday that Miller was Shields's girlfriend. He also said she is mentally unstable.

"He may have had some enemies I didn't know about," older brother Bill Shields told 24 Hour News 8 before becoming aware of the arrest. "It's hard to say because I don't know."

Bill Shields said he didn't know why his brother was in the cemetery. He said no one in their family is buried there.

"It hurts me, but what can I say or do?" he said. "It's not going to change the fact. He's dead. He's gone. All we can do is live with his memories. And I believe my brother's had a very rough life."

Shields had an extensive criminal record, including convictions for felonies and criminal sexual conduct. He was listed on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry.

Shields lived for six months at Omega Life Alternatives in Grand Rapids. The pastor there, Eric Price, said Shields made his mark in more ways than one. He mowed the lawn and fixed things around the house.

"He came here with a willing heart, not just to hold a bed for him, but he came with a willing heart to really work and to serve. ... Whatever he can to help out things around here," said Price. "Robert tried to live a good life and I'm sorry that this had to happen."

Like Price, Bill Shields remembered his brother as a hard worker.

"He was a hard-working boy, I'll tell you that. He worked all the time," said Bill Shields. "I don't think he's hardly ever missed a day of work."

But Price he said he was aware there was another side to Shields.

"It came as a shock, but the company he was keeping, I've seen it happen before," said Price.

Price said he thinks Shields's friends may have been involved in drugs and perhaps that had something to do with his suspicious end, which he called a tragedy.

"He definitely didn't deserve this tragedy upon this life, no matter what he's done," Price said. "I wouldn't want anybody to suffer that way."

About a dozen officers and a K-9 unit were sent to the cemetery near Hall Street and Eastern Avenue around 7:15 a.m. They taped off a large section of the property and placed several evidence markers throughout the area as they searched for clues.

Police continue to figure out how Shields died and why he ended in the cemetery.

"It's a very large area. We want to be thorough and make sure we check the entire area to see if there's any evidence out there if in fact it is foul play," Grand Rapids Police Capt. Eric Payne told 24 Hour News 8 before the announcement that the death was homicide.

"It doesn't happen every day to have a body discovered in a cemetery, but we're processing it and we'll wait and see on the determination of the medical examiner whether or not it's foul play," he added at the time.

Police towed a van from the scene that family members confirmed to 24 Hour News 8 belonged to Shields. ..Source.. by Amanda Jarrett and Dani Carlson

Cause of death determined in Romulus murder investigation

1-9-2012 Michigan:

Victim beaten, cut, suffocated

Romulus police are trying to figure out what happened to a 57-year-old Romulus man.

Frank Jones was found dead inside his home on Springhill Street Saturday morning by his son. Jones was found face down in the bathroom with his hands tied behind his back and a plastic bag over his face. The home had been ransacked, but police said none of the personal items inside the house were missing.

The medical examiner tells Local 4, Jones was beaten, cut and suffocated to death.

After the attack, Jones Ford Mustang was stolen from his driveway, but has since been recovered by Canton Township police. It was found Sunday morning in the parking lot of WalMart in Canton about 10 miles from the victim’s house.

Police are taking a close look at the victim’s car and investigating Jones past. Jones is listed on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry for his connection to a child porn case that dates back to 2006.

Anyone with information is asked to call Romulus police at 734-942-8400. ..Source.. by ClickOnDetroit.com

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No arrests in death of Romulus man found bound with a bag over his head

1-9-2012 Michigan:

A 57-year-old man found in his Romulus home with his hands tied behind his back and a plastic bag over his head had been beaten on the head and suffocated, the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said Sunday.

The victim was tentatively identified as Frank Jones.

Jones is listed on the Michigan sex offender registry under his address in the 15600 block of Springhill, where police said he lived alone. He was convicted of child sexually abusive activity in 2006, according to online records.

Romulus police said they are looking into Jones’ background, but declined to discuss his criminal history today.

Jones' body was found by his son Saturday. Police said the son had been trying to reach him by phone since Wednesday. When the son couldn't reach his father, he went to Jones' house on Springhill and found him facedown in a pool of blood in the bathroom. It's unclear how long he had been there.

Jones had wounds on his face and chest and shoulder areas, police said.

"It appears that there was a struggle in at least three areas of the home based on some evidence that was located," Romulus Police Capt. Derran Shelby said. He declined to say what that evidence was.

Police did not find any signs of forced entry to the home.

A bedroom was ransacked, and personal belongings were thrown around the room, police said. Investigators have not found the man's cell phone or wallet.

His 1999 yellow Ford Mustang convertible also was missing Saturday. Canton police spotted the unoccupied car in the parking lot of a Walmart store on Ford Road about 2 a.m. Sunday, Shelby said.

Surveillance video from the store showed it was parked there about 4:20 p.m. Saturday, Shelby said.

Police plan to obtain a search warrant to look for evidence inside the car today. They also are trying to retrace Jones' final weeks to find out who he was with before his death and what activities he may have been involved in.

"At this point, we're trying to really dig into his background, " Shelby said.

Family members gathered outside Jones' home Sunday. They said they didn't want to comment and asked for privacy.

Anyone with information can call Romulus Police at 734-941-8400. Police also want to hear from anyone who saw his 1999 yellow Ford Mustang convertible in recent days. ..Source.. by Elisha Anderson

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Sex offender found blugeoned to death

1-10-2012 Michigan:

ROMULUS, Mich., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- A Romulus, Mich., man was found suffocated and bludgeoned to death in his home, police say.

Frank Jones' son dialed 911 Saturday night to report discovering his 57-year-old father's body face down in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor of his home. The victim's hands were tied behind his back and his head was covered with a plastic bag. An autopsy showed the cause of death was blunt force trauma.

There were no signs of forced entry.

Romulus Police Capt. Derran Shelby told the Detroit News: "It was a brutal, torturous type of killing. There's nothing that leads me to believe this was random."

Detectives say a motive for the killing may be Jones' status as a convicted sex offender. He served three years in prison for attempting to arrange sex with a Oakland County Sheriff's deputy who was posing as a 14-year-old boy.

"At this point, it's too early to say if that definitely played a part, but it's an avenue we're investigating," Shelby told the Detroit News. ..Source.. by UPI.com

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Romulus police: Man charged in deadly beating

1-13-2012 Michigan:

ROMULUS, Mich. - Romulus police think they have solved the murder of 57-year-old Frank Jones, who on Saturday was found beaten to death in his home.

Michael Sutton, 41, of Canton Township was arraigned Friday on charges of first-degree murder and torture.

"Working backwards using phone records on the subject and the victim, and using search warrants we gained great intelligence," said Romulus Police Chief Robert Dickerson.

Police have not revealed a motive, but based on graphic text messages, they said they think the men had been intimate. They had known each other for about five years.

The medical rxaminer said Jones died of asphyxiation and blunt force trauma. His hands were tied behind his back, and a pillow case was taped over his head, police said.

Investigators said they think Jones drove Sutton to his home and Sutton allegedly stole the car after killing him on Jan. 4.

Three days later, Jones' son found the body in his father's bathroom.

Sutton was arrested Tuesday after a brief foot chase in Canton Township. He's being held on a $1 million dollar cash bond. ..Source.. by Roger Weber, Local 4 Reporter

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Canton Township man is arraigned in friend's slaying

1-15-2012 Michigan:

He is charged with torture, murder; victim found by son

A 41-year-old Canton Township man was arraigned Friday on charges that he killed a 57-year-old man found bound and beaten to death on his bathroom floor last week.

Michael Sutton was arraigned in 34th District Court on charges of first-degree murder, felony murder and torture in the death of Frank Jones.

Police said Jones was found by his son Jan. 7 face-down in a pool of blood at his home on Springhill Street.

Jones' hands had been tied behind his back, and a plastic bag was over his head. The son went to check on his father after he hadn't heard from him in several days.

Police said the killer drove off with Jones' yellow 1999 Ford Mustang, which was found Sunday in a Canton Township Walmart parking lot.

Police Chief Robert Dickerson said evidence found during the investigation led police to Sutton.

Physical evidence, as well as phone and data records, showed that Jones and Sutton had an "intimate relationship," the chief said.

"The suspect knew his victim very well," Dickerson said.

Police don't yet have a motive for the crime, he added.

Bond was set at $1 million. A preliminary exam is scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 25.

Dickerson attributed Sutton's arrest to a collaboration between the Romulus, Canton Township and Michigan State police departments.

"We are very pleased there is a suspect in custody for this violent and senseless murder," state police Capt. Monica Yesh said in a statement.

Jones was convicted in 2006 on child sex abuse charges. For that crime, he served three years in prison. ..Source.. by Candice Williams, The Detroit News

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Acquaintance charged in Romulus man's slaying

1-14-2012 Michigan:

A 41-year-old suburban Detroit man is charged with murder and torture in the slaying of an acquaintance found bound and beaten on his bathroom floor.

Michael Sutton of Canton Township was arraigned Friday in Romulus District Court. He was ordered jailed without bond.

Police say phone records show Sutton and 57-year-old Frank T. Jones shared an intimate relationship. Jones was found Jan. 7 in his Romulus home, southwest of Detroit. His hands were tied behind his back. A pillow case was over his head.

An autopsy revealed he had been beaten.

Jones' son went to the home after not hearing from his father for several days.

Sutton faces a Jan. 25 preliminary examination. The Associated Press could not determine Friday night if he had a lawyer. ..Source.. by mLive.com

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ROMULUS: Police confident they have sole person responsible in homicide

ROMULUS — Residents breathed a sigh of relief after learning there had been an arrest in the death of Frank Thomas Jones, 57.

Michael Sutton, 41, of Canton Township was arraigned before 34th District Magistrate Alan Hindman on Friday on charges of first-degree murder, felony murder and torture.

Bond was set at $1 million. Sutton is being held in the Wayne County Jail.

A preliminary examination of the evidence against him is set for next Wednesday.

Questions have continued in the community as to whether an additional person might have been involved in Jones’ death.

Romulus police Capt. Derran Shelby said Monday morning that he is confident the sole person responsible is in custody. Nevertheless, he said, anything is possible in an ongoing investigation.

Jones was found dead in his house Jan. 7 in the 15000 block of Springhill Street near Middlebelt and Eureka roads.

His son, Joshua Jones, had been trying to reach him for two days and decided to drive to his father’s house to check on him.

According to police, Joshua Jones found his father lying in a pool of blood with his hands tied behind his back and a plastic bag over his head.

Frank Jones’ yellow Ford Mustang was missing from outside the house and was found the next morning by Canton Township police in a Walmart parking lot on Ford Road. Continued... by Jackie Harrison-Martin

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Murder suspect to stand trial

3-22-2012:

Barring a new development, a Canton man accused of torturing and killing 57-year-old Frank Jones of Romulus is set to stand trial in May in Wayne County Circuit Court, authorities have confirmed.

Michael Joseph Sutton, 41, faces life in prison if he is convicted of first-degree murder, felony murder and torture following allegations he killed Jones, whose son found him lying face down in his bathroom Jan. 7 with his hands tied behind his back and his head covered by a plastic bag.

Sutton's trial has been scheduled for May 10 in front of Circuit Judge Timothy Kenny, according to Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Maria Miller.

Sutton was ordered to stand trial during his Feb. 1 preliminary examination in Romulus 34th District Court.

Romulus Police Chief Robert Dickerson has said Jones and Sutton had an “intimate relationship” before Jones was killed. The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled blunt force trauma as the cause of death.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Sutton faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Canton authorities have said Sutton lived in the Autumn Ridge apartment complex near Cherry Hill and Lotz roads before his arrest. Police have said Sutton was arrested near his residence after he tried to flee.

A cooperative effort among police agencies led to the arrest.

The day after Jones' body was found in a pool of blood in his bathroom, his Ford Mustang had been found in the Walmart parking lot on Ford Road east of Lotz, Canton Detective Sgt. Dave Schreiner has said.

Sutton was ordered jailed with a $1 million cash bond after his arrest. Romulus police have cited phone records and other evidence they say led to charges against Sutton.

Jones lived in the 15600 block of Springhill in Romulus and was a registered sex offender. According to the Michigan Department of Corrections, he had served three years in prison for child sexually abusive material or activity.

Jones had been released from prison in August 2009. ..Source.. by Observer and Eccentric

Warren police question son, 34, found in attic after slaying of father, 61

3-3-2011 Michigan:

A man authorities believe killed his father this morning was found hiding in the attic of the family’s Warren home and is now in custody, police said this afternoon.

Police hadn't been sure the son, identified as Jason Kinnie, 34, was in the home or whether he fled after the killing of his father, Donald Kinnie, at the home on the 30200 block of Madison Avenue near Warren’s city hall complex.

Police found Donald Kinnie, 61, with significant head trauma in a first-floor bathroom at the home this morning. Police said a friend told police that Jason Kinnie told him he killed his father.

Kinnie was arrested and taken to the Warren jail for interrogation, Warren Deputy Police Commissioner Louis Galasso said. Kinnie wasn’t armed, but police said they found an empty gun holster in the home.

Galasso said the head trauma was so extensive that police aren’t sure whether a weapon was used, or what kind it may have been.

The Kinnies were no strangers to the Warren Police, who had been called to the home before for disputes between the father and son. Warren Police Commissioner Jere Green said the son had mental health issues and his father had him involuntarily committed for evaluation in 2004.

Donald Kinnie, meanwhile, was convicted in 2007 of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person age 13-15 and was on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry, online state records show. Additional details about the conviction weren’t immediately available.

Neighbors knew of the conviction and were leery of Kinnie, said Bonnie Hessling of Sterling Heights, who was looking after her mother who lives across the street from the victim. Hessling said neighbors had passed around photos of Kinnie from his entry on the sex offenders database.

Hessling said the father and son fought often, and she described the two as “just angry people.” Little things including parking too close to his driveway would set the father off, Hessling said.

“There was always something going on,” she said. “There was always fighting. Just little things like that always seemed to bother them.”

Police initially weren’t sure whether Jason Kinnie fled – his red Ford Explorer was not at the home – but police suspected he may have never left. He’d told his mother in a phone call that he’d killed his father and that he could hear police outside the family home.

Green said State Police and Sterling Heights SWAT officers were called in to help with the search. State Police brought equipment with cameras and heat detection to search hard-to-reach areas of the home.

Green said a small opening to the attic was ajar in a closet in the home, and there was insulation on the floor. There also were dents in the ceiling drywall indicating someone had stepped on it.

“Logic just told us he’s got to be in the house,” Green said.

Green said Warren’s SWAT team was getting ready for training today, with its officers at the city hall complex a block from the home “literally putting their gear on when this homicide took place.”

The team used tear gas and flash-bang grenades to try and flush Jason Kinnie from the home, Green said, but ultimately coaxed him out after the search gear from the State Police confirmed he was hiding in the attic.

The search for Jason Kinnie led school officials to lock down Cromie Elementary and Warren Cousino High as a precaution. ..Source.. MATT HELMS and PEGGY WALSH-SARNECKI, DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Police Station Shooter's Motive Was 'Suicide By Cop'

1-25-2011 Michigan:

4 Officers Shot Sunday; 2 Still Hospitalized

DETROIT -- Local 4 has learned that Detroit police believe the motive behind the 38-year-old man who opened fire inside a police station Sunday, wounding four officers, was to be killed.

"There's nothing in this that makes sense, at all," Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee told reporters during a news conference on the case.

Godbee said Monday that the motive was unclear.

However, Local 4 learned on Monday that there is an ongoing sex crime investigation involving the gunman, who police said was Lamar Deshea Moore.

The ongoing sex crime investigation, coupled with the fact that Moore entered the station armed, has led police to believe he walked into the station on Sunday with the intent of being shot and killed by officers.

At about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Moore walked into Northwest District's 6th precinct and fired at officers.

"In a split second, their life changed," Godbee said. "The perpetrator's intent was evil. But these men and women ... performed to the standard that they were trained to."

Moore shot Commander Brian Davis, Officer David Anderson, Sgt. Ray Saati and Sgt. Carrie Shultz.

Davis, who is in charge of the precinct, was shot in the hand and side. He underwent surgery Sunday and is listed in stable condition at a Detroit hospital.

Anderson is also hospitalized in serious condition.

Saati and Shultz were treated and released.

Moore was killed when police returned fire.

Godbee said video of the shooting would be released but didn’t say when. ..Source.. Click-on-Detroit

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Detroit police release dramatic video of precinct shootings

1-29-2011 Michigan:

(CNN) -- Detroit Police on Friday released a graphic surveillance video that shows a gunman indiscriminately firing inside a police precinct and lunging across a counter to continue a shootout in which he was killed and four officers were wounded.

Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee said his department released the 68-second video of last Sunday afternoon's gunbattle to show the "tremendous acts of heroism" of officers and to be transparent in its investigation.

Lamar Deshea Moore, 38, walked into the precinct with a shotgun and "indiscriminately began firing," Godbee said earlier in the week. Moore was fatally shot when officers returned fire.

Moore's motive is not known, although he was being investigated for possible sexual offenses involving a minor girl. He also had a relative who was scheduled to be sentenced for double homicide, Godbee said.

The video does not show all of those involved in the incident, Godbee told reporters. "We are thankful to God that all four members who were injured are going to be OK," he said.

The footage provides two angles of the station and a large semicircular counter. Officers are shown talking with each other behind the counter before the gunman approaches and opens fire.

A shoe repairman also was in the station, police said.

Several officers crouch and return fire with handguns. After a barrage of rounds, Moore, clad in a jacket, leaps over the counter and continues the gunfire.

He and a seriously wounded officer exchange rounds at point-blank range, before he circles around the table and collapses, mortally wounded.

Assistant Police Chief Chester Logan walked reporters through the video, detailing the timeline. The gunman apparently ran out of ammunition, Logan said.

The video was broadcast Friday night by CNN affiliate WDIV.

Other Detroit officers had gone by Moore's home several hours before the shooting at the precinct, but he was not at home, Officer Dan Donakowski told CNN this week.

The home where Moore was staying caught fire early Tuesday and was heavily damaged, police said. Detroit Fire Capt. Kwaku Atara told CNN on Wednesday the fire has been ruled arson.

According to an affidavit filed Tuesday by the U.S. attorney's office in Detroit, Moore obtained the shotgun used in the precinct shooting from a felon, although the affidavit does not specify how the gun was obtained.

Two of the injured officers have been released from the hospital. Cmdr. Brian Davis, who was shot in the back and suffered other injuries, and Officer David Anderson, who was grazed in the head, were facing a longer recovery, authorities said.

The shooting has led to the reassessment of security measures by police officials. According to the chief, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has committed to bringing in resources necessary to provide a safe environment, and interim measures will be put in place. ..Source.. by CNN Wire Staff

Grand Rapids man fatally gunned down by father

1-21-2011 Michigan:

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, a 31-year-old man was shot to death Wednesday evening, and the person who shot him was none other that his own father.

The shooting took place at approximately 4:45pm inside a residence, located in the 1300 block of Sylvan SE. The victim, identified as Brandon O’Connor of Grand Rapids, sustained numerous gunshot wounds.

Grand Rapids police say that following the shooting, the victim’s dad grabbed a phone, dialed 9-1-1, and told dispatchers what he did.

Police say that the man had identified himself as the father. They took him in for questioning and found the victim inside the residence.

The victim was taken to Spectrum Butterworth, where he was pronounced dead.

The 54-year-old father has been identified as Garry McGhee, who did not have a rap sheet of any kind.

The victim had resided at the house; however, he had recently moved out. The father and the son have engaged in some sort of dispute, which brought about threats of violence before the shots were fired. This pertained to the victim’s history, which dates back to around 15 years, ever since his adolescent times.

It was also learned that the victim has a lengthy rap sheet that mentions weapon and assault charges. Further, he is a registered sex offender (RSO) for a crime he committed at the age of 14. Court documents also revealed that he had many different aliases. Hence, he was no stranger to the law.

The father was released from custody Wednesday night after he told authorities that he acted in self-defense.

According to cops, they feel relaxed about the father’s release following the shooting. The Kent County Prosecutor's office declared that it has not received any paperwork regarding the incident, and no further statement was given.

No charges have been filed and the investigation of this case is now being reviewed. ..Source.. BASHIR BAKHTIARI

MI- Lifer suspected in inmate's slaying

UPDATED A few times, see below.

9-9-2009 Michigan:

A murderer already imprisoned for life is being investigated for killing again -- this time, while behind bars.

Anthony Wayne Lee, 34, who was serving a sentence of up to 15 years after being convicted on a 2005 charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under age 13 in Wayne County, was found unresponsive in his cell around 3 a.m. Sunday, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Russ Marlan.

"The staff responded with CPR immediately,” Marlan said. Lee was taken by ambulance to Mt. Clemens Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The Michigan State Police Richmond Post in investigating the death, but referred comments to the corrections department.

Marlan said authorities believe a 42-year-old prisoner serving life in prison for first-degree murder in Kent County, as well as three armed robberies and an assault charge in Wayne County, went into Lee’s cell and killed him. The prison has turned over video surveillance to police.

Marlan declined to release details about the manner of death except to say “we believe it was a homicide.”

The state’s last prison murder was in 2008, when a prisoner stabbed another to death in the G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility in Jackson.

Marlan said such slayings are unusual behind bars. The state has about 4,000 prisoners serving life sentences; about 40% of those aren't eligible for parole.

Those inmates tend to be the best behaved, Marlan said, because they don't want to lose the few privileges they have.

"My experience with prisons across the state has been that the non-paroleable inmates help control the prisoner population," Marlan said. "That's their home, they're there for life, and they don't like unrest and turmoil."

The suspect had been in Lee's cell prior to the death. Investigators with the Michigan State Police are reviewing surveillance video from inside the prison to determine what happened.

The 100-acre Macomb Correctional Facility, which opened in 1993 near I-94 and 26 Mile Road, houses about 1,287 inmates, Marlan said. ..Source.. by MATT HELMS AND AMBER HUNT, FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS

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Prison inmate killed at Macomb Correctional Facility

New Haven -- The Michigan State Police are investigating what is believed to be the first homicide at the Macomb Correctional Facility.

Staff at the prison found 34-year-old Anthony Wayne Lee dead Sunday afternoon after another man had been in his cell, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Russ Marlan said.

"Staff found him (Lee) in the cell unresponsive," Marlan said. Emergency medical personnel were called, but they were unable to revive Lee.

Surveillance video has been turned over to investigators, Marlan said.

A suspect -- incarcerated on a murder charge from Kent County and armed robbery, weapons and assault to commit armed robbery from Wayne County -- has been moved to another corrections facility and the man's security level has increased. The suspect already was incarcerated for life, Marlan said

Lee was serving 27 months to 15 years for a 2005 criminal sexual conduct offense involving a victim younger than 13 years old, according to online corrections department records.

Lee and the suspect were not cellmates, Marlan said. Inmates are not grouped by offense, so it would not be unusual for the suspect and victim to have contact with each other, Marlan said.

Although officials believe Lee was killed, how he died has not been determined. The Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office today said toxicology results are pending and it will be several weeks before an autopsy is completed.

"We are still investigating the manner of death," Marlan said. "We believe it was a homicide."

Marlan said the state's corrections system averages one murder per year, but Lee's slaying is believed to be the first at the Macomb Correctional Facility.

State officials said the last homicide in a state prison was in 2008 at the G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility in Jackson. Officials with the Michigan State Police Richmond Post confirmed they were investigating, but referred comment to the corrections department.

The prison opened in 1993 and encompasses 10 acres in New Haven. ..Source.. by Santiago Esparza and Christine Ferretti / The Detroit News

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Inmate was bound, drowned in toilet

9-10-2009 Michigan:

New Haven -- State police say a prison inmate confessed to investigators that he used bedding to bind a fellow inmate Sunday shortly before the man was found dead in his cell at the Macomb Correctional Facility.

Investigators this morning said they are still trying to piece together what unfolded next, but it appears to have ended with 32-year-old Anthony Wayne Lee drowning in the cell's toilet. The nature of the relationship between the two men is still being investigated.

"(Lee) was found in the toilet, bound, and there's no indication as a result of this investigation that he was forcefully bound," said Michigan State Police Richmond Post Detective Sgt. Patrick Young. "It sounds as though it wasn't long into the interview when (the suspect) began to confess to being involved in the murder."

Young said the 42-year-old suspect -- incarcerated on a murder charge from Kent County and armed robbery, weapons and assault to commit armed robbery from Wayne County -- confessed to the alleged homicide Sunday evening. He's since been moved to another corrections facility and his security level has increased.

Before the body was discovered Sunday afternoon, the suspect was observed on surveillance video entering and leaving Lee's cell.

Lee was serving 27 months to 15 years for a 2005 criminal sexual conduct offense involving a victim younger than 13 years old, according to state records.

At this point, Young said the suspect has given an alleged motive, but his claims are still being sorted out. The case is being investigated as a homicide, Young said.

Young said the position of Lee's body when it was recovered is unclear, but the bedding used for binding his body was recovered from inside the cell.

The relationship between the pair is still being investigated, but Young said the two have had contact in the past. There was no indication of any trauma to Lee's body and his death did not appear to be motivated by an argument or vendetta, he said. Young said the death was not a suicide.

The Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office said it will be several weeks before the autopsy is completed. State police said they are reviewing the tape and other evidence supplied by state corrections officials. The findings are expected to be turned over to the Macomb County Prosecutor's office sometime next week.

Corrections officials said Lee and the suspect were medium to maximum-level security inmates but they did not share a cell.

Based on the prison layout, it would not be unusual for the pair to have contact. Up to 400 inmates at a time have open access to move to and from the housing unit to recreation buildings, food service and the yards, officials said.

"Macomb is a fairly open movement facility," State Department of Corrections spokesman John Cordell said. "Prisoners have the opportunity to harm one another at any given time, but the vast majority would like to live there violence-free and staff helps to ensure that happens."

Corrections officials said the suspect was cited for fighting in June. Before that, he hadn't been punished for misconduct since 2003.

The state's corrections system averages one murder per year.

The death is believed to be the first homicide at the New Haven prison since it opened in 1993.

In March, an inmate at the same facility was stabbed during an altercation in a facility yard. The victim didn't report the attack, but prison officials said guards later found him stuffing toilet paper in a wound. The suspect was moved to "higher security" within the prison.

State officials said the last homicide in a state prison was in 2008 at the G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility in Jackson. ..Source.. by Christine Ferretti / The Detroit News

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MI- Inmate was bound, drowned in toilet

9-10-2009 Michigan:

New Haven -- State police say a prison inmate confessed to investigators that he used bedding to bind a fellow inmate Sunday shortly before the man was found dead in his cell at the Macomb Correctional Facility.

Investigators this morning said they are still trying to piece together what unfolded next, but it appears to have ended with 32-year-old Anthony Wayne Lee drowning in the cell's toilet. The nature of the relationship between the two men is still being investigated.

"(Lee) was found in the toilet, bound, and there's no indication as a result of this investigation that he was forcefully bound," said Michigan State Police Richmond Post Detective Sgt. Patrick Young. "It sounds as though it wasn't long into the interview when (the suspect) began to confess to being involved in the murder."

Young said the 42-year-old suspect -- incarcerated on a murder charge from Kent County and armed robbery, weapons and assault to commit armed robbery from Wayne County -- confessed to the alleged homicide Sunday evening. He's since been moved to another corrections facility and his security level has increased.

Before the body was discovered Sunday afternoon, the suspect was observed on surveillance video entering and leaving Lee's cell.

Lee was serving 27 months to 15 years for a 2005 criminal sexual conduct offense involving a victim younger than 13 years old, according to state records.

At this point, Young said the suspect has given an alleged motive, but his claims are still being sorted out. The case is being investigated as a homicide, Young said.

Young said the position of Lee's body when it was recovered is unclear, but the bedding used for binding his body was recovered from inside the cell.

The relationship between the pair is still being investigated, but Young said the two have had contact in the past. There was no indication of any trauma to Lee's body and his death did not appear to be motivated by an argument or vendetta, he said. Young said the death was not a suicide.

The Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office said it will be several weeks before the autopsy is completed. State police said they are reviewing the tape and other evidence supplied by state corrections officials. The findings are expected to be turned over to the Macomb County Prosecutor's office sometime next week.

Corrections officials said Lee and the suspect were medium to maximum-level security inmates but they did not share a cell.

Based on the prison layout, it would not be unusual for the pair to have contact. Up to 400 inmates at a time have open access to move to and from the housing unit to recreation buildings, food service and the yards, officials said.

"Macomb is a fairly open movement facility," State Department of Corrections spokesman John Cordell said. "Prisoners have the opportunity to harm one another at any given time, but the vast majority would like to live there violence-free and staff helps to ensure that happens."

Corrections officials said the suspect was cited for fighting in June. Before that, he hadn't been punished for misconduct since 2003.

The state's corrections system averages one murder per year.

The death is believed to be the first homicide at the New Haven prison since it opened in 1993.

In March, an inmate at the same facility was stabbed during an altercation in a facility yard. The victim didn't report the attack, but prison officials said guards later found him stuffing toilet paper in a wound. The suspect was moved to "higher security" within the prison.

State officials said the last homicide in a state prison was in 2008 at the G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility in Jackson. ..Source.. by Christine Ferretti / The Detroit News

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MI- Lifer suspected in inmate's slaying

9-9-2009 Michigan:

A murderer already imprisoned for life is being investigated for killing again -- this time, while behind bars.

Anthony Wayne Lee, 34, who was serving a sentence of up to 15 years after being convicted on a 2005 charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under age 13 in Wayne County, was found unresponsive in his cell around 3 a.m. Sunday, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Russ Marlan.

"The staff responded with CPR immediately,” Marlan said. Lee was taken by ambulance to Mt. Clemens Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The Michigan State Police Richmond Post in investigating the death, but referred comments to the corrections department.

Marlan said authorities believe a 42-year-old prisoner serving life in prison for first-degree murder in Kent County, as well as three armed robberies and an assault charge in Wayne County, went into Lee’s cell and killed him. The prison has turned over video surveillance to police.

Marlan declined to release details about the manner of death except to say “we believe it was a homicide.”

The state’s last prison murder was in 2008, when a prisoner stabbed another to death in the G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility in Jackson.

Marlan said such slayings are unusual behind bars. The state has about 4,000 prisoners serving life sentences; about 40% of those aren't eligible for parole.

Those inmates tend to be the best behaved, Marlan said, because they don't want to lose the few privileges they have.

"My experience with prisons across the state has been that the non-paroleable inmates help control the prisoner population," Marlan said. "That's their home, they're there for life, and they don't like unrest and turmoil."

The suspect had been in Lee's cell prior to the death. Investigators with the Michigan State Police are reviewing surveillance video from inside the prison to determine what happened.

The 100-acre Macomb Correctional Facility, which opened in 1993 near I-94 and 26 Mile Road, houses about 1,287 inmates, Marlan said. ..Source.. by MATT HELMS AND AMBER HUNT, FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS

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Prison inmate killed at Macomb Correctional Facility

New Haven -- The Michigan State Police are investigating what is believed to be the first homicide at the Macomb Correctional Facility.

Staff at the prison found 34-year-old Anthony Wayne Lee dead Sunday afternoon after another man had been in his cell, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Russ Marlan said.

"Staff found him (Lee) in the cell unresponsive," Marlan said. Emergency medical personnel were called, but they were unable to revive Lee.

Surveillance video has been turned over to investigators, Marlan said.

A suspect -- incarcerated on a murder charge from Kent County and armed robbery, weapons and assault to commit armed robbery from Wayne County -- has been moved to another corrections facility and the man's security level has increased. The suspect already was incarcerated for life, Marlan said

Lee was serving 27 months to 15 years for a 2005 criminal sexual conduct offense involving a victim younger than 13 years old, according to online corrections department records.

Lee and the suspect were not cellmates, Marlan said. Inmates are not grouped by offense, so it would not be unusual for the suspect and victim to have contact with each other, Marlan said.

Although officials believe Lee was killed, how he died has not been determined. The Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office today said toxicology results are pending and it will be several weeks before an autopsy is completed.

"We are still investigating the manner of death," Marlan said. "We believe it was a homicide."

Marlan said the state's corrections system averages one murder per year, but Lee's slaying is believed to be the first at the Macomb Correctional Facility.

State officials said the last homicide in a state prison was in 2008 at the G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility in Jackson. Officials with the Michigan State Police Richmond Post confirmed they were investigating, but referred comment to the corrections department.

The prison opened in 1993 and encompasses 10 acres in New Haven. ..Source.. by Santiago Esparza and Christine Ferretti / The Detroit News

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Convicted murder accused of killing convicted sex offender

9-15-2009 Michigan:

MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A convicted murderer is now sitting in Ionia's maximum correctional facility, accused of killing an inmate in Macomb County.

Investigators believe Andrew Neal is responsible for the death of 34-year-old Anthony Wayne Lee.

Lee, a convicted sex offender, was found dead on September 6th in his cell at the Macomb correctional facility. Lee had been convicted of sexually assaulting a child under 13 years old.

Neal has been moved to Ionia's facility, and had his security level increased while the investigation continues.

Neal is already serving a life sentence for the murder of Mashonda Griffin. Neal admitted to killing Griffin after breaking into her Wyoming home. ..Source.. by WWMT.com

MI- Registered sex offender killed in Holly Township home invasion

8-23-2009 Michigan:

A registered sex offender was stabbed to death in his home early Sunday morning by an intruder, Michigan State Police said.

Dennis McCarthy, 65, rushed to the back door of his home on Riviera Shores after his wife spotted someone breaking in around 4 a.m. and screamed for his help, according to investigators. McCarthy was stabbed as he was fighting with the intruder.

McCarthy's wife, who wasn't harmed, called 911; he was rushed to Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc, where he died, police said. An autopsy by the Oakland County Medical Examiner has ruled the death a homicide.

"At this point, we do not believe this crime is a random act of violence," MSP Det. Sgt. Gary Muir said in a statement.

Police would not comment on whether McCarthy was targeted because of his sex offender status. The Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry lists a 64-year-old Dennis McCarthy who lives on the same road as being convicted in September of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13.

The killer is described as a white man in his 20s, 5-foot-8 with a stocky build and brown hair, wearing a dark blue hooded sweater shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Michigan State Police at 313-237-2450. ..Source.. by ZLATI MEYER, FREE PRESS STAFF REPORTER

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Oakland County man stabbed, murdered by home intruder Sunday morning

OAKLAND COUNTY (WJRT) -- (08/23/09) -- Police in Oakland County are searching for a suspect after a 64-year-old man was attacked and killed in his own home on Sunday.

Michigan State Police stationed in Groveland Township say the attack occurred around 4 a.m. at a home in the 1500 block of Riviera Shores in Holly Township.

No one is in custody but state police still believe that this wasn't a random act of violence and say the 64-year-old Dennis McCarthy's criminal sexual conduct conviction may have played a role in his death.

Residents living along the quiet Holly Township road woke up to find Michigan State Police investigators scouring the area Sunday morning.

Police say McCarthy's wife heard noises in the early morning hours and went to see what was going on while checking to make sure all the doors were locked. That's when someone broke through the back door.

She yelled for her husband, who confronted the intruder. That's when a fight started and McCarthy was stabbed.

"Intruder came in, walked past her and walked right over to the victim, Dennis McCarthy, and stabbed him in the neck," said Trooper Nathan Ellis.

He was able to get the intruder out of house, but he then collapsed. McCarthy was taken to Genesys Regional Medical Center where he later died. McCarthy's wife was not hurt during the struggle.

While police say they don't have any suspects, they are considering one potential motive. Last year, McCarthy was convicted of sexually assaulting his grandson, who was four years old at the time. He was recently released from the Oakland County Jail, where he served his sentence.

McCarthy was on probation and had to register as a sex offender.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 20s, standing around 5'7" tall. Police say he has a stocky build and was wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt.

If you saw anything suspicious around the time of the attack, or have any information to pass along, please call Michigan State Police. ..Source.. by Rebecca Trylch

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Convicted Child Molester Killed

8-23-2009 Michigan:

Man Killed 1 Week After Being Released From Jail

HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A convicted sex offender who was just released from jail was stabbed to death Sunday inside his Holly Township home.

According to police, Dennis McCarthy's wife heard a noise early Sunday morning and went to check the locks on the doors. An attacker pushed his way through the back door.

McCarthy's wife screamed and McCarthy came running and wrestled the man. The attacker stabbed him and ran off.

McCarthy later died at the hospital.

Police believe McCarthy knew his attacker.

McCarthy had just been released from jail a week earlier, after serving a one year sentence for admittedly molesting his 4-year-old grandson. He was still serving nine years of probation.

McCarthy's wife said the attacker was a white man in his 20s. He was about 5 feet 7 inches tall with a stocky build. He was last seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt.

If you have any information, you are urged to contact police. ..Source.. by ClickOnDetroit

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Police say sex offender was targeted, stabbed to death

8-24-2009 Michigan:

Holly Township -- Dennis Raymond McCarthy was an admitted sex offender and out of jail for less than a week when he was stabbed to death inside his home in what authorities said was a planned attack.

"There is no way that this was a random killing," said State Police Detective Gary Muir, a 31-year police veteran. "We have strong suspicions that he was targeted, either because of his past activities or something while he was in jail."

McCarthy, 64, was released last week from the Oakland County Jail after serving 10 months for molesting a 4-year-old family member. He died from multiple stabs suffered when confronting an intruder inside his home on Riviera Shores Drive. He also faced charges in another child sex case in 2004 but was acquitted.

Muir said that about 4 a.m. Sunday, McCarthy's wife, Debra, was awakened by a noise in their tri-level home. When she went to investigate downstairs, she encountered a man who had entered through an unsecured rear doorwall. She began screaming at the man to get out of the house, which brought Dennis McCarthy running to the door.

"Instead of retreating from the house, the man went towards him (McCarthy)," said Muir. "His wife said he said something to the intruder like, 'What are you doing? What do you want? Who are you?'"

The pair struggled briefly before the intruder ran from the house, back out the door he had entered, police said. McCarthy collapsed, and his wife made a 911 emergency call and applied first aid. McCarthy was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

A retired General Motors worker and former substitute teacher in Holly, McCarthy was accused of molesting the boy between July 2006 and May 2007 at his house. At his sentencing, the boy's mother told the judge she felt McCarthy should be in prison for the rest of his life. Another relative said he felt McCarthy deserved to be castrated.

Oakland Circuit Judge John McDonald sentenced him to 10 years' probation and ordered him tethered for nine years. McCarthy was released from the Oakland County Jail on Aug. 17, where he had been incarcerated since Oct. 20 after pleading guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The boy's mother had filed a civil lawsuit against McCarthy, seeking damages for emotional distress suffered by her son, other children, herself and her husband. The lawsuit, filed Aug. 4, alleges a belief that another of the family's children was similarly violated.

The lawsuit also alleges the family has suffered physical and psychological problems as a result of the incidents. A hearing on the matter was set for this week before Oakland Circuit Judge Nanci J. Grant.

Four years before admitting his guilt involving the boy, McCarthy, known by the nickname "Rocky," was acquitted by an Oakland Circuit Court jury in another child sex case: nine charges of sexual assault involving five girls, ages 8-10.

Ann Arbor attorney John Shea represented McCarthy in both cases."No one of us has the right to take this kind of action into our own hands," Shea said. "Our existence in a peaceful, civilized society rests primarily with our recognizing that. If we don't, we may as well be living in Afghanistan."

When asked if McCarthy might have been a victim of vigilante justice, Muir said, "We aren't ruling anything out."

Muir noted nothing was stolen and the intruder didn't attack or threaten McCarthy's wife.

The intruder was identified as a stocky white man in his 20s wearing a dark hooded sweat shirt.

attacked McCarthy, rather than retreating.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call State Police at (248) 6334-4882 or (313) 237-2450. ..Source.. by Mike Martindale / The Detroit News

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Man Fatally Stabbed Inside Home in Holly Twp.

8-24-2009 Michigan:

HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJBK) - A man in Holly Township is killed in his home by an intruder, and it does not appear to be a random act of violence.

State police brought out a dog, searching for evidence in the brutal murder of 64-year-old Dennis McCarthy. The former wrestling coach and convicted sex offender was stabbed to death at his Holly Township home early Sunday morning.

Police say McCarthy's wife was awaken by a noise. She discovered an intruder had some in through an unlocked patio door. She screamed for help and her husband came to her aide.

"It was a struggle. He was stabbed. He then chased the intruder out the door, and after he had locked the door's when he collapsed," said Michigan State Police Sgt. Gary Muir.

It looks like Dennis McCarthy was targeted by the killer. Police say when the intruder came in, he had a brief conversation with McCarthy's wife, then walked right by her, stabbed McCarthy and ran off. Police won't say what the killer said to McCarthy's wife.

McCarthy was released from the Oakland County Jail just last week after serving a year for molesting a five-year-old boy. In 2003, McCarthy was charged with molesting five girls, all under the age of ten, but was found not guilty by a jury. Police say the sex charges could provide a motive.

"We believe somehow there is some connection, some link to that. We haven't quite figured that out at this point," Muir said.

Relatives tell police McCarthy was a former wrestling coach in Grand Blanc. He also taught wood shop for years in the Holly schools.

One neighbor is expressing sympathy for McCarthy's wife. "I just give her a lot of credit for sticking it out and waiting for him to come home and then, of course, to have this happen a few days after he gets home, it's just heartbreaking," said the neighbor.

FOX 2 has learned that the family of the five-year-old sex assault victim filed a civil lawsuit against Dennis McCarthy and the case was due in court later this week. ..Source.. by SCOTT LEWIS, FOX 2 News

MI- Ypsilanti Township man shot by deputy had threatened parents, was facing trial on rape charge

7-1-2009 Michigan:

When Uvon Bevins petitioned a Washtenaw County court for a personal protection order against her adult son in late 2000, she feared for her life.

"Last night he yelled all night that he was going to kill me today," Bevins, who also used the name Yvonne, wrote in a hand-written note attached to a court filing seeking a personal protection order for herself and her husband. "He said that when he decides to shoot himself again, he's going to take us with him."

That fear expressed more than eight years ago came true this past weekend when Ira Bevins Jr. shot his mother dead in her Ypsilanti Township home and set it on fire. He was killed minutes later by Washtenaw County Sheriff's deputies in a confrontation less than a half-mile from the house.

When he died early Sunday morning, Bevins was out on bond, awaiting a July 20 jury trial on a rape charge.

Bevins, who had a history of alcohol problems, was anxious about the case, which was fast approaching trial after nearly a year of delays and legal wrangling since the alleged assault occurred, a police investigator said.

"He was upset about his case and had been out drinking that day," said Detective Sgt. JIm Bundshuh of the Michigan State Police, who is investigating both shootings. "He eventually ended up at his mother's, but we're still trying to understand everything that occurred."

The shootings came one month after Washtenaw Circuit Judge David Swartz discontinued required alcohol testing of Bevins at the request of Bevins' public defense attorney, who argued that he had passed all the tests in the months after his arrest on the rape charge.

Bevins was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, stemming from an incident that occurred on the late night and early morning of Aug. 4 and 5, 2008.

According to testimony from the victim, she and Bevins had become reacquainted at Alcoholics Anonymous events. On Aug. 4, she and her 4-year-old daughter visited her deceased mother's house, located around the corner from Bevins' house.

The victim testified that over the course of the evening she and Bevins drank. She said she doesn't remember much more about the night, other than that she woke up without her shorts or underwear on. She went to the hospital and had a rape examination.

Bevins was free after posting 10 percent of a $15,000 bond. As part of the bond conditions, he was required to undergo regular alcohol testing. Court records show he passed all those tests and that Swartz discontinued that condition of his bond at the end of May.

In arguing for a higher bond, Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Samuel Holtz had described Bevins as someone who had a long history with police.

"He is what is known as a nasty drunk," Holtz said. "(That) manifests itself into assaultive behavior ..."

In her Dec. 29, 2000, request for a personal protection order, Yvonne Bevins said her son had a long battle with mental illness and had been sent to various mental hospitals for treatment.

She wrote that in the previous six months he had become "very uncontrollable," and she described his threats against her and her now-deceased husband, who was Ira Bevins' father, including kicking down their bedroom door at one point. She also noted that he had shot and wounded himself in January 1994.

A judge granted that PPO.

On April 28, 2001, Bevins pleaded guilty to violating that PPO and was sentenced to 45 days in the county jail, with 30 days suspended, court records show.

Then on July 2, 2001, Yvonne Bevins wrote the court again, asking for the personal protection order to be lifted.

"I don't think a PPO is a good idea. Since I got the PPO on him, he has made a very big improvement."

A judge terminated the PPO on July 5, 2001. ..Source.. by David Jesse | The Ann Arbor News

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Ypsilanti Township man killed by police suspected of killing his mother

6-29-2009 Michiugan:

A 43-year-old Ypsilanti Township man shot his mother to death and then set her home ablaze before being killed himself minutes later by police responding to the scene, authorities said.

Ira Bevins was shot and killed early Sunday morning by a Washtenaw County Sheriff's deputy near the corner of Wendell and Redleaf streets, just a few blocks from where firefighters battled a blaze at the Bevins family home on Pageant Street.

Inside the home, firefighters found the body of Uvon Bevins, 66, who had been shot, said Detective Sgt. Jim Bundshuh of the Michigan State Police. ..Source..

MI- Man found in snow had no place to turn

UPDATE 3-21-09: MI- Calls for reform in treatment of homeless echo at candlelight vigil in Grand Rapids for sex offender Thomas Pauli

1-30-2009: See earlier stories. Died because of a ill conceived law that protects no one. Given that there has not been a single crime reported nationwide, occurring in a protected place (school, etc.) caused by a registered sex offender residing within the proscribed distance of that protected place, this is a testament to the short sightedness of lawmakers.

Consider this, if the missions accepted him to sleep for the night, placing him within the proscribed distance to the prohibited places, those prohibited places would not even have any children in them at that time he would be sleeping. Clearly the laws protect no one:

1-30-2009 Michigan:

Thomas Pauli was found dead Jan. 26

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Grand Rapids homeless advocates say a man found dead in the snow had been frustrated because he could not find a place to stay.

A business owner found the body of Thomas Pauli, 52, next to the old A to Z Radiator shop in the 600 block of S. Division Ave. on Jan. 26. Pauli was crouched in a kneeling position. The medical examiner says the autopsy was inconclusive, though evidence showed Pauli might have froze to death. Police say foul play was not involved.

Officials at Degage Ministries, a mission that offers myriad programs for people in need, say they believe Pauli was unable to get into a shelter because he is on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry.

State law "prohibits convicted sex offenders from residing, working or loitering within a student safety zone which is defined as the area that lies 1,000 feet or less from school property."
That law makes the Guiding Light Mission on Grand Rapids' Division Avenue off limits because Catholic Central High School is nearby. The Guiding Light Mission, however, is refusing to say whether it had been forced to turn Thomas Pauli away. Shelter officials told 24 Hour News 8 they do not keep record of the people they turn away. But The Guiding Light did confirm that it refuses shelter to two to three people a month because of the state law regarding sex offenders. Pauli was convicted in 1991 of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child under the age of 13 in Grand Traverse County. Lori King, a supervisor at the Degage Life Enrichment Center, said Pauli was an intelligent, quiet and gentle man who had struggled with alcohol and drug addiction. She also said Pauli had gone through rehab and once told her he wanted to go back to school. "He voiced how hard it was for him to find housing, to find employment, just to be accepted back into society, like he had a big X on his head and nobody was going to give him a chance," King told 24 Hour News 8. "I was nauseated to think about him outside freezing. I knew why he was outside. Enraged is putting it lightly." Target 8 did a special investigation into the law designed to protect children, which unintentionally isolates convicted sex offenders. This makes it difficult for police to track their whereabouts and even harder for people on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry to get another shot. "They're upholding the law, but that causes such a hardship for people in our community. People who've done their time but still have the stigma attached to them," said Marge Palmerlee, executive director of Degage Ministries. "There needs to be an exemption for homeless shelters or we're going to have more tragedies," said homeless advocate Don Tack. It's a problem Target 8 looked into nearly three years ago. At the time, even the Grand Rapids Police Department was concerned that some sex offenders were hard to find because of the law -- homeless with no address. It's as if the law keeping them from living near schools defeated the other law requiring them to register so police know where they are. "We've had conversations with political folks about the need to amend this and didn't really get anywhere in the past," said Tack. Tack thinks Pauli's death might renew interest in amending the law. There are already some exemptions built into the Michigan Sex Offender Registry law allowing patients in mental health facilities, for example, to live within those 1,000-foot school safety zones as they are known. ..News Source.. by Henry Erb and Jessica Leffler -------------------------------------------------------------- MI- UPDATE- Death of homeless sex offender in Grand Rapids poses questions 1-29-2009 Michigan: So is this what it finally takes for us to hear the muffled cries of the homeless -- an ex-con dead in the snow because it's against the law for a sex offender to huddle up at either of two Grand Rapids missions? Thomas Pauli didn't choose to die alone in the cold. He apparently froze to death because of a crime he committed nearly 20 years ago, and a law that's dogged him ever since his release from prison. In the days prior to the discovery of his body Monday morning at a recycling operation in the 600 block of South Division Avenue, he reportedly attempted to score a bed at either or both the Guiding Light Mission and Mel Trotter Ministries, just blocks away. But officials at both facilities reluctantly acknowledge they would have turned him away because registered sex offenders can't reside for even one night within 1,000 feet of a school, in this case, Catholic Central High. Never mind that school isn't in session during the hours a guy like Pauli would have been snoozing away on a warm cot. Or that ex-cons -- or anyone else -- are more likely a threat to a neighborhood when they have nowhere to go. When they are desperate. Weather information for Grand Rapids for January 2009 (Added by eAdvocate)The problem is compounded by the fact that both missions are too near a pair of public parks, and that Mel Trotter houses women and children. All those elements also render the missions lawfully unable to accept offenders. The missions aren't to blame. They risk fines or even being shut down if they don't comply with the law.

--Given that there is nothing in registration law which would fine or cause them to be shut down, what law or other authority are they speaking of? If there is anyone who knows of their authority (laws) please contact eAdvocate@yahoo.com

But it's a law that needs changing. And we need to re-examine our collective level of commitment to a part of society that, to most of us, matters least. Asks Bill Shaffer, an officer with Guiding Light, "How do we treat the unlovable?" "I couldn't sleep last night thinking about Thomas Pauli freezing to death outside," said a tearful Marge Palmerlee, executive director at Degage Ministries, which cares for folks like Pauli who live and frequent the Heartside area on downtown's fringe. "Who can sleep at night, thinking of these people outside. It's just unbelievable." No, it's not. I'll bet that even before readers got to my fourth paragraph, some were thinking that Thomas Pierrie Pauli, who was born on Christmas Eve 52 years ago, got what he deserved. OK, so he spent time in the joint. Big whup. A sex offender should pay forever. Maybe so. I know too many people -- people close to me -- who have been victims of sexual assaults. In Pauli's case, he was convicted in Grand Traverse County in 1991 of second-degree criminal sexual conduct against a person younger than 13. Of the 5 to 15 years to which he was sentenced, he served more than 11. Not exactly a slap on the wrist. His wife divorced him two years into his stint. After his release in 2003, he eventually ended up at an address on Leonard Street NE. But he wandered from there and ended up roaming Heartside's gritty domain. He checked in and out of Project Rehab. On Dec. 30, he was booked for failing to register his address with authorities. He got 16 days for that misdemeanor and was freed Jan. 14.

--Note: At least he was warm in jail for those two weeks. If one thinks about it, and reviews the temperature chart for January, it is likely he PURPOSELY "Failed to Register" so that he had a place to stay where it was warm.

Sometime during the past two weeks, he tried to bed down at either or both missions, according to Palmerlee, who knows of two people saying they saw Pauli standing in lines. "A patron told me they'd seen him in Mel Trotter's line not long ago," added Lori King, life enrichment center supervisor at Degage. Officials at both missions cannot confirm Pauli tried to get in, but they also can't rule it out, because they don't track applicants who are refused admission, only those who make it across the threshold. Either way, they said it breaks their hearts to know they have to abide by a law that puts men in life-or-death situations. "Ethically, it feels like we're responsible," said Bill Merchut, in charge of programs at Mel Trotter. "But we have to follow the law. "These men and women are clearly 'The Scarlet Letter' folks of our day. "I've had (sex offenders) say, 'Where can I go?' and I stand there with my mouth open and I have no answer." There aren't many options for men seeking overnight shelter outside of the two missions. In a perfect world, there would be a homeless shelter located where it could accept sex offenders. Maybe a place like the former Greyhound bus station, Merchut said. Or perhaps the former site of a corrections center on Wealthy Street SW near the Grand River. But any solution will require a monstrous coalition. And money. Don Lamse was the gentleman who found Pauli about 10 a.m. Monday in a parking area adjacent to the auto recycling operation he manages on South Division. The victim was beside a '93 or '94 GMC conversion van. Lamse, 70, walked over and tried to rouse him. "Hey, hey," Lamse remembers saying. "Something like that." Pauli was bent into a crouching position, knees and hands on the ground. He wore no gloves. "I tried to nudge him a bit while I was talking to him, and he felt pretty stiff." Lamse said he found it odd that Pauli didn't crawl into any one of several unlocked vehicles, the van included. "He could have gone inside and had some shelter if he'd just opened a door.

--With no gloves and a temperature of -3 degrees, would anyone's hands work to pull on metal objects (doors, likely jammed from accidents) to gain access to the inside of the vehicle.

He added, "That's not a nice way for anybody to die." ..News Source.. by Tom Rademacher | The Grand Rapids Press -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michigan Registered Sex Offender Killed by State Sex Offender Residency Law 1-28-2009 Michigan: Man found dead in cold was turned away from shelters in past because he was sex offender GRAND RAPIDS -- A man found dead on the streets Monday had tried in recent weeks to gain admittance to at least one of two Heartside missions, but was denied a bed because he is a registered sex offender. Officials say its possible Thomas Pauli might be alive today except for a state law prohibiting him from establishing a residence even for one night within 1,000 feet of a school, in this case, Catholic Central High, also located in the Heartside district. "It's heartbreaking. I have a hard time even talking about it," said Marge Palmerlee, executive director at Degage Ministries. Palmerlee said she had talked to at least two people who told her Pauli had tried earlier this month to secure a bed at one or both missions. Bill Merchut of Mel Trotter and Bill Shaffer of Guiding Light agreed that Pauli may have tried to gain entrance, but that their missions risk fines and loss of license if they admit sex offenders. They do not track everyone who applies for a bed, only those who are admitted, so while they were sure Pauli had not been admitted, they couldn't be sure if he had tried.

--Note: Tracking those admitted and not tracking those not addmitted are different functions. Think about this, in order to reject someone (i.e., a sex offender) there has to be a procedure to CHECK a person applying for admittance, and there has to be a person assigned to that function. Notice how they skirted checking with persons assigned to that function, they most definitely would remember if they rejected someone because they were a registered sex offender. Why? Further, nothing in sex offender registration laws addresses "fines or loss of license" so what law are they speaking of?

They both decried a system where there are no exceptions to the so-called Megan's Law, which sets boundaries and restrictions for those on the list. "We have to follow the law, but ethically, it feels like were responsible," said Merchut. Added Shaffer, "These men and women are clearly 'The Scarlet Letter' folks of our day. And where do they go? I have no answer." Pauli, 52, served 11 years in prison for a 1991 conviction in Grand Traverse County for second-degree criminal sexual conduct, state records show. He was released in 2003 and was required to register as a sex offender. Results of an autopsy are not yet available. ..Source.. by The Grand Rapids Press ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grand Rapids man found dead was turned away from shelters based on CSC conviction GRAND RAPIDS(WZZM)- The man found dead on South Division Avenue may not have been able to find a place to stay. A business owner found Thomas Pauli's body Monday morning. Rob Munger, Executive Director of Guiding Light Mission says they have refused Pauli a place to stay in the past because he is a convicted sex offender. Munger says he does not know whether Pauli asked to stay at Guiding Light the night that he died. Pauli was convicted of 2nd Degree Criminal Sexual conduct with a person under 13 years old in Grand Traverse County. Munger says under state law all missions must turn away convicted sex offenders. Toxicology tests were inconclusive as to what caused Pauli's death. Temperatures the night he died did get down to zero. ..Source.. by Jessica Puchala and Chris Fleszar ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How do we protect at-risk populations from cold? To those who knew him, Thomas Pauli was an educated man, a quiet, gentle person who loved to read. So it's unclear why the 52-year-old man, who recently completed a rehab program, died on the streets in the cold. His body was discovered Monday in the snow inside a fenced auto salvage business, huddled near the wheel of a car in the 600 block of South Division Avenue. Pauli was among eight Michigan men and women -- four of them senior citizens -- found dead in the cold since Jan. 17. ..Source.. by The Grand Rapids Press -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8th Mich. Resident Dies From Harsh Weather A Grand Rapids man is the eighth person in nine days to be found dead in the Michigan cold. The body of 52-year-old Thomas Pauli was found this week in the snow at an auto salvage business in Grand Rapids. Investigators are trying to determine the cause of death, but it doesn't appear to be suspicious. The eight victims were found dead in the cold between Jan. 17 and Jan. 26, when Pauli's body was discovered. Four were older than 80. The Grand Rapids Press reports seven of the eight victims were found outside. Many apparently fell on their own property and couldn't get up. Ninety-three-year-old Marvin Schur froze to death inside his Bay City home just days after the municipal power company restricted his use of electricity because of unpaid bills. ..Source.. by ClickOnDetroit