State police probe homicide: Missing man's body found burned, buried in back yard

Feb. 27—CADILLAC — Michigan State Police are investigating a homicide after they found the body of a missing man who had been burned and buried behind his own home.

On Feb. 21, state police detectives were searching a disrupted area in the backyard of the missing man's residence when they discovered large chunks of burnt wood, tires, remnants of burnt clothing and a piece of apparent flesh, state police reported Tuesday.

The missing man, who was 55 years old and from Cadillac, had two people staying with him before he died — and these two are suspects in his death, police said.

The two are being held in different jails on unrelated charges, according to a news release issued by state police Tuesday.

The man was reported missing to the state police post in Cadillac on Feb. 20.

Troopers who responded to that call found the man's truck, phone, dog and other personal items at his house, according to state police Public Information Officer Lt. Derrick Carroll.

After more search warrants, the state police crime lab in Grayling was brought in to excavate the yard for more evidence.

That's when they found his body.

Troopers from the Computer Crimes Unit collected a DVR home recording system and the man's phone as evidence, the release said.

The physical remains, which were badly burned, were sent to Western Michigan University's Department of Pathology for identification. That analysis confirmed a match between the remains and the missing man.

Carroll said they would not provide any further information on the case, including the victim's name, or the suspects.

The investigation remains open and ongoing, he said.