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Michigan Cold Cases

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Michigan Murders

If you’re intrigued about the number of murders in Michigan by year, you can easily access reports and statistics on the websites of numerous law enforcement organizations. In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) produces a Uniform Crime Report each year, which shows, in detail, the statistics of particular crimes, the crime rates, and the areas where crimes are frequently committed in most cities and counties, in every state in the United States. Another helpful resource for researching crime homicide statistics is Project: Cold Case. Project: Cold Case is home to a webpage that is dedicated to sharing the number of unsolved homicides in each state as well as their respective clearance rate. There are reportedly 42,650 currently unsolved murders in Michigan spanning from 1980-2019, according to Project: Cold Case. Continuing to look into the clearance rate for homicides in Michigan, we can see that as time passed, approximately 23,327 of those homicides were solved, leaving investigators with around 19,323 unsolved murders in Michigan today.

In addition to the several resources Project: Cold Case provides, they also have an open database with nearly 25,000 unsolved homicides from around the United States. Some of the cases that can be found within this database, or on the websites of several law enforcement agencies, include some of the various unsolved murders in northern Michigan, such as: the 1994 murder of Marvel Anderson, the 2000 murder of Erin Taylor, and the 1968 murder of the Robinson Family, among others. Also included are some of the many unsolved central Michigan murders, which include the 1983 murder of Erik Stirling Cross, the 1982 murder of Lillian Laurel Prahin, the 1991 murder of Gregory McRoberts, the 1983 murder of Christine Castiglione, the 1982 murder of Kimberly Louiselle, and the 2003 murder of Nikki Nicholas, along with the 1990 disappearance of Paige Renkoski. Additionally, some of the unsolved murders in Lansing, Michigan, which are included in the database and on other websites as well, include the 2014 murder of Richard Pruitt, the 2011 murder of Domingo Guartolo, the 1995 murder of Nicole Haynes, the 1981 murder of Edith Crossette, the 1979 murder of Karen Oatley, and the 1987 murder of Josephine Stebbins, among many others. Finally, some unsolved murders in Ingham County, Michigan, include the 1970 murder of Laurie Murninghan, and the 1993 murder of Mary Jean D’Agostino, among others.

Unsolved Michigan Murders

As of their most recent update, there are currently a total of 19,323 cold cases which remain unsolved in Michigan, according to Project: Cold Case. Several of Michigan’s local, county, and state law enforcement and investigating agencies have provided organized lists of their cold cases on their respective websites. For example, the Michigan State Police’s website is home to a page dedicated to the unsolved murders in Michigan, providing the basic information and tip line for each crime. Some examples of the many northern Michigan unsolved murders that are listed on various law enforcement websites include the 1994 murder of Marvel Anderson, the 2000 murder of Erin Taylor, and the 1968 murder of the Robinson Family, among others.

Others that can often be found among the lists are unsolved murders Lansing, Michigan, which include the 2014 murder of Richard Pruitt, the 2011 murder of Domingo Guartolo, the 1995 murder of Nicole Haynes, the 1981 murder of Edith Crossette, the 1979 murder of Karen Oatley, and the 1987 murder of Josephine Stebbins, among many others. In addition, other unsolved murders Michigan included in the list of state-wide cold cases on the Michigan State Police’s cold case website are the many east Michigan unsolved murders. These include the 1976 murder of Jane Louise Allen, the 2002 murder of Timothy Charles Allen, the 1992 murder of Akita Ervin, the 2012 murder of Julia Niswender, the 1997 murder of Lisa Gause, and the 1981 murder of Ann Maria Calvey McCorvey, among countless others.

Joseph Smedley
Joseph SmedleySuspicious Death, 2015
Asha Degree
Asha DegreeMissing, 2000

Consider this

More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. With equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underserved victims not prioritized in the true crime community—together we can do better.

Famous Michigan Murders

Not many names may initially spring to mind when you think about famous Michigan murders. However, a handful of the names that appear on the list of all Michigan murders, list of Michigan murders and notorious Michigan criminals may be familiar to those who live in, or are from, Michigan. For example, some of the most infamous Michigan murders that remain unsolved are the “Oakland County Child Killer” case, where four children were murdered from 1976-1977; the 2015 murder of Paige Stalker; the 2014 murder of Christina Samuel; and the 2003 murder of Tamara Greene, among many others throughout Michigan. In addition to the several famous Michigan murders are the numerous famous unsolved disappearances. These include the 1990 disappearance of Paige Renkoski, the 1981 disappearance of Deanie Peters, and the 1990 disappearance of Richard Hitchcock.


Homicide Rate in Michigan

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2019 Uniform Crime Report (UCR), the violent crime rate in Michigan was approximately 437.4 per 100,000 residents. This indicates that in Michigan alone, around 437 individuals per 100,000 inhabitants of the state were personally impacted by violent crime, which includes assault, rape, burglary, and homicide, in 2019. The homicide rate in Michigan was reported to be roughly 5.6 per 100,000 people in 2019, according to the same FBI report. As a result, in Michigan in 2019, there were nearly 6 murders per 100,000 people who were living in Michigan at the time.

With a population of more than 553,000 inhabitants, Lansing, the state capital of Michigan, is also one of the most populated cities in the state. According to law enforcement archived crime reports and various other sources, the violent crime rate in Lansing, Michigan, in 2018 was around 1,108.27 per 100,000 people. Additionally, the 2018 Lansing, Michigan, murders rate was approximately 6.82 per 100,000 inhabitants. Although we cannot yet predict how many murders in Michigan 2021 or how many murders in Lansing, Michigan, 2021, we can look at archived crime reports to attempt to predict the crime trends for the areas. According to various archived reports, the homicide rates in both Lansing and the state of Michigan as a whole appear to be rising gradually year after year.


Ingham County Murders

Approximately 294,000 people live in Ingham County, Michigan, as of the last count. Although there is no definite way to know how many Ingham County murders have been committed in recent years, we can view archived FBI Uniform Crime Reports in order to see the general trend in the homicide rate in Ingham County. According to archived reports, in Ingham County, there were 2 murders in 2016, 2 murders in 2017, 0 murders in 2018, and 2 murders in 2019. It appears that the number of murders in Ingham County, Michigan, has been rather stable throughout the years, with little dips every few years, based on these statistics.

There are several murder cases where investigators are able to gather enough Ingham County murders evidence and probable cause to arrest and charge their prime suspect with the crime, before taking them to Ingham County murders trial. When it comes to Ingham County homicide trials, the evidence that is most often included is entirely reliant on the offense itself. Ingham County murders crime scene photos are typically used in order to illustrate to the jury the environment surrounding the crime as well as to show the various items of evidence and their relation to the crime scene.


Lansing, Michigan Murders

Lansing, Michigan, murders appear to be more prevalent than in some of the smaller cities in Michigan, most likely due to Lansing’s relatively large and growing size and population. Although cold cases are continuously being solved, law enforcement continues to investigate the few unsolved murders in Lansing, Michigan, both recent and decades old. Until these murders are solved, Lansing murders discussion will continue on several popular social media websites, including Reddit, Facebook, and Websleuths. These platforms are home to countless posts, conversations, and threads, where several users speculate and share information about several cold cases based in Michigan. Occasionally, these discussions focus mainly on Lansing murders pictures, Lansing murders crime scene photos, and even Lansing, Michigan, murders autopsy photos, which are rarely shared with the general public, no matter the status of the case.

Recent advances in DNA technology have led to the resolution of hundreds, if not thousands, of cold cases, some of which have remained cold for years, or even decades. Some instances where Lansing murders DNA, or DNA from other Michigan crimes, was utilized to solve or offer new information to cold cases, include the following: the 1970 murder of Marie Jackson, the 1988 murder of Gayle Barrus, the 1975 murder of Delores Griffin, and the 1986 murder of Wilda Wilkinson, among many others.


Michigan Serial Killers

Since its beginnings, Michigan has had to face significantly more than its fair share of Michigan killers. You can easily find countless types of serial killer lists, such as list of serial murderers in Michigan or Michigan serial killer list, which often include some of the most famous Michigan serial killers. On these lists are also some of the most notorious Michigan serial killers, including: Elias Abuelazam, also known as “The Serial Stabber” or “The Serial Slasher,” who murdered five people from 2009-2010; Benjamin Atkins, also known as the “Woodward Corridor Killer,” who murdered 11 women in the 1990s; and Coral Eugene Watts, also known as the “Sunday Morning Slasher,” who murdered at least 2 women between 1974 and 1982, but who is believed to have killled up to dozens, among other Michigan killers.


Crimes in Michigan

There are a number of law enforcement and investigative organizations that publish annual crime reports on their websites, which you could find with a simple internet search if you’re curious about the various statistics for crimes in Michigan. A Uniform Crime Report is also released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation every year, which contains a report for crime in Michigan. Michigan homicides and true crime stories in Michigan may never come to an end, sadly, despite law enforcement’s best efforts of trying to catch up with the overwhelming number of cold cases in their state. According to Project: Cold Case, there were 42,650 homicides in Michigan between 1980 and 2019. Since then, law enforcement has been able to solve roughly 16,973 of those murders, but they are still left with around 19,323 unsolved murders in Michigan alone. Various Michigan law enforcement organizations will never surrender in their mission to solve all of Michigan’s true crimes, despite the fact that the number may seem overwhelming.


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Additional Michigan Cold Cases

Vincent AdamczakDanielle AdamsDuane AdamsAmanda AdlaiRobert AhtonenLaura AlberRaed AlfarahAnna AllenMary AllenCaleb AllenRobert AllenKahlil AllieElizabeth AndersonIda AndersonBrandon AndersonGerri AndersonCalvin AndersonErica AntoeEva ArehartMindy ArnettJersey ArnettPaul AtchleyRichard AtwoodSampson BaldwinChristina BalogHenry Baltimore JrRoy BannaschKrystle BarkerLester BarrKerry BaumJennifer BearssMichael BearupMatthew BechankoNihad BedakJessica BedfordRhonda BeersBrittney BeersBernadette BehmlanderKimberly BelcherLindall BenedictKathleen BennettWesley BennettClovis BerbariJanet BerginNikole BettersonWilliam BibbyJennifer BlackmonJohn BlockJean BlockKofi Boachie-YiadomKatie BottsNicholas BouyerDouglas BowersJessie BowmanPaul BradyRobert BrandCharles BrandtJody BrantDalrico BraxtonEddie BraxtonTammie BrileyBrandi BrownDerick BrownJohn BrownClarice BrownDarius BrownEugene Brown IIIKellie BrownleeJared Bruwier-DincoJayme BryantAmanda BullockAntoinette BurlisonTheresa BurnsAlwin BurtonJamecia BushChristine ByersJacob CabinawCaprice CadeCharles CalhounDarius CampbellWillie CarswellDavid CarterMarc CatesStacey ChahorskiMartin ChanceNachida ChandaraGregory ChapmanQiao ChenRandall ChildsDiane ChorbaKenneth ClarkSteven ClarkJanet ClarkTammy ClementsJoseph ClewleyMary ClickLashawnda CoatesBrian CodyDennis ColemanJahzeel Collazo-RiosTerrence CollinsJina CollinsLinda CollinsDiane CollinsArthur CollinsJimmy CollinsElizabeth ConverseCynthia CoonBruce CooneyJames CooperPerry CorlewTimothy CornwellHarold CoveyMichael CraneVictor CredlandMyron CrosbyFrank CrosswhiteLuis Cuevas-MartinezLuther CurryRobert Dale JrMargurite DanielKrista DanielGary DanielsFaye DaveCatherine DavidsonDennis DavidsonOtis DavisPhyllis DavisLavonne Davis JrMarone DeanCarol De ArmentGilbert DelgadoDionno DenbyKathleen DennisAmy DerewitzAbbas DianeDonald DietzAlicia DignaMedoro DileggeDavid DillardDavid DillonLisa DouglasMarkell DowellSara DraneJohn DriskellDebra DuncanEmma DuncanLilli DunnCassandra DurhamScott DusaHelen DymondBrian EdgettTannisha EdisonDonald EllenburgWilliam EllisKathleen EllisMatthew EtheridgeThomas Evans JrJerome EzellJay FarrJose FelixLeon FeltonJoyce FisherGeorge FisherAugustine FloydPhyllis FlynnEva FoleyRandy FowlerJessie FowlerEric FranksKristi FronteraJulia FulgenziDorian GainesGregory GallawaySylvia GalvanRicardo GarciaJoanne GarrCharles GauthierTerry GaytonJohn GentryCarlita Gentry LohmeierNevaeh GholsonSamuel GillisonDavid GionetAferdita GjergjajEdward GlennKimberly GoldtrapFlavio GolemiFranklin GottschalkKigoma GovanArlena GraceLonzell GrahamRodney GranrothKevin GravesDerek GrayJessica GrayKiela GrayBernice GrayBianca GreenShaunda GreenMaxine GreenGregory GreenBrian GrockiJames GuerreroThomas Guillory IIIWilliam Gunn JrJoseph GutierrezJoey HainesJamilah HaleyCoral HallSarah HallChristopher HallaxsMartha HardinLeah HardingAndrew HargroveSandra HarperKelly HarrisKyeisha HarrisCharlita HarrisAneshia HarrisJohn HarrisCordelia HarrisLeigh HartJohn HartJerry HawkinsCathy HawleyMichael HawleyJessica HeeringaDerrick HenaganMargaret HeuserLeo HillJoe HillJesse HinesOscar HinttaGerardo Hipolito-LopezRichard HitchcockBenny HogueJayvaire HolmesJustin HoltChristine HonsonRonald HoritskiBeth HorneSandra HorwathCorceil HowardMary HowitzSherry HudsonLeonard HuffKenneth HumphreyKeiara HumphreyHarold Humphrey Jr.Kevin HuntKaylah HunterSarah HurstTangena HussainGlenn Hustin, Jr.Aaron IdleAnge IradukundaJohn IrwinAlex Ixachajchal VasquezDavid JacksonLynn JacksonLouise JacksonAlayia JacksonDon Juan JacksonLeon JacobsRonald JagerThomas James1967 Wayne County Jane Doe1992 Wayne County Jane Doe1968 Wayne County Jane Doe1990 Wayne County Jane Doe1992 Berrien County Jane Doe1994 Alcona County Jane Doe1996 Wayne County Jane Doe1985 Washtenaw County Jane Doe1989 Wayne County Jane Doe1999 Oakland County Jane Doe2003 St. Clair County Jane Doe2005 Wayne County Jane Doe2003 Macomb County Jane Doe2006 Wayne County Jane Doe1967 Ottawa County Jane Doe1976 Wayne County Jane DoeRanda JawhariAalyiah JenningsRobin Jobson2008 Wayne County John Doe1966 Chippewa County John Doe1967 Wayne County John Doe1978 Jackson County John Doe1986 Monroe County John Doe1987 Luce County John Doe1989 Monroe County John Doe1995 Wayne County John Doe2011 Wayne County John Doe2000 Berrien County John Doe2010 Van Buren County John Doe2006 Wayne County John DoeNovember 2007 Wayne County John DoeAugust 2007 Wayne County John Doe1997 Lenawee County John DoeHarmony JohnsonJoyce JohnsonCourtney JohnsonTerralyn JohnsonClaude JonesJahmel JonesBianca JonesRicka JonesMattie JonesCraig JonesShanya JonesJerry JonesRicardo JonesMatthew JordanJames JuricaKristian JusticePaul KallioAnthony KarkoskiSatnam KaurPatrick KellyShirley KellyLarry KimbleKimberly KingAshley KirkpatrickJanet KirkupThomas KlenowWissam KonjaStephen KovitchRita KowalskiSteven Kraft JrSandra KrawczykDaniel KuhfalKevin KulekRenee KylesJerome LamarTom LammonPeggy LammonTheresa LamontagneElizabeth LandMary LandsKim LarrowEdas LauzonDavid LawrenceJames LehtomakiRobert LepsyLaurel LeshCindy LeskoRaymond LewisTodd LilgeJohn LipumaKeilah LoatmanFonda LockridgeMichelle LokkerEimy Lopez RivasMichelle LorenceGlenn LovernRandolph LovettePamela LovittLaura LuckeyKrista LuethAmelia Lux LopezVilma Lux LopezGordon MachekKalisha MaddenBinyam MamoLubov MarchenkoGerald MarksMark MartinJozlynn MartinezDonnie Martin IIIJoAnn MasonSenia MatsonJudith MattiseMonkeith MayerMichael MayesLatrice MazeLinda McallisterEric McClaryPatrick McCutcheonWardi McDonaldFrankie McGrawWilliam McGruderLinda McHughDonna McintoshShane MclaughlinMary MclaughlinWilber McmillanDaniel McnamaraDavid McNeillWilliam MerrimanKasandra MerrowSteven MeylanAnthony MichaelDarla MillerStephen MillisSylvia MitchellDebbie MitchellBaby MitinJasmine MoodyCindy MooreJason MoorerYemner Moreno-RamirezTisha MorganGary MorrisDevron MorrisonCarlee MorseKyle MosherAlisha MouserEthan MurphyDaniel MuttschellerTerry NajeraJacqlin NelsonAudrey NelsonRalph NicholsShantell NickLinda NickellTammy NiverGerald NoetzoldGail NorthingtonThomas O'ConnorNadine O'DellBrian OgnjanMark O'NeillCharles OppenneerMaria Pacheco-MateoGordon Page JrKartavya ParasharAshley ParlierJan PattisonBen PeeplesBonifacio PenaRebecca PercyEdgardo PerezRaymond PerryRose PetersonJessica PhelpsKatherine PhillipsRonny PinedaCharles PingerFannette PinkstonRobert PittsTheodore PontzRonald PostPatricia PouncyGustav PrilepokSuzanne PryShirley PullenDean Pyle PetersJessica QuesnellSteven RadashawWillie RaineyMargie RanshawNathaniel RatliffPresley RauPhilip RaushShawn RaymondDavid ReaNathaniel ReedRaymond ReedKyle ReevesPaige RenkoskiDonald RexrothLeroy RiceVan RileyRobert RoachOllie RobertsChavonne RobinsonAshayla RobinsonDavid RobinsonDonovan RodriguezSevert RoenVictor RojasGuadalupe RosalesTarrance RossTanova RossConnie RoyceJudith RuggirelloKevin RushlowKevin RussellCharles Rutherford JrTommie SaffellOctober 8, 1988 Saginaw John DoeVictoria SaliszJanis SandersSalum SatterwhiteDonald SchallerMikel SchepkeChristina SchutzRobin ScottYvonne ScottCatherine SearsRaymond SearsShannon SegorskiNatasha ShanesBrittany ShankTerry ShyerJawan SiebertDawn SilvernailJerel SimmonsJalen SimmsKimora SimonD'Wan SimsDerrell SimsTanner SkeltonAndrew SkeltonAlexander SkeltonLaquandra SlaterGeorge SmithDavid SmithAmber SmithKhristine SmithJoseph SmithBillie SmithPeter SnowCharles SolomonPatricia SpencerLynn SplaneCiara StachoCharles StarrettHenry StaufferJess SteevesBobby StephensTonia StilesJeffrey StinnettJohn StinsonDanielle StislickiFrederick StokesKimberly StonerMarie StrandbergJay StrohlTanja StuermerKenneth SweeneyKatey SwineyRacine TaliaferroAditi TanejaMary TautkusAlan Taylor Sr.Christopher TempleMavrick ThigpenCherita ThomasDarlicha ThomasWilliam ThompsonDona ThompsonKeith ThompsonNyjliyah TiceyErica ToinsUlysses TolliverSylvia TorgowMoira TorresPhuong TranTung TranTodd TreadeauJohn TrohaQuincy TrombleyJuliet TurnerBarbara TyslickiGeorgina UjczakSylvia ValdezCarla ValpeozRobert VanceArnett Vaughn, Sr.Rene VazquezTrinidad VenegasJames VennardShannon VerhageJenna VerhilleBrianna VibertRobert VillarrealSarah VittJuliette WalkerDeNeka WalkerLisa WaltonTimothy WardMatrice WashingtonEdward WatsonRobert WattsJoseph WeberJohn WeeksRenee WelkaMichelle WellsTamala WellsAdele WellsSandra WeltonGlenna WestBrianna WhatleyBruce WheltonRobert WhitefootNicole WhitlowKathy WilcoxLonnie WilkinsKama WilkinsonJason WilliamsDavid WilliamsOlisa WilliamsFrinnie WilliamsonYusuf WilsonSarah WilsonTodd WoodsQulante WoodwardTeresa WoolardFaye WrightJoseph WurfelDevonte YarbroughKaren YoungGregory YoungPatricia ZentnerMildred Zentner