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Three charged in triple murder

MANISTIQUE – Three suspects were arraigned in 93rd District Court Friday in connection with a triple murder in Manistique last month.

Manistique residents Marietta May Carlson, 28, of 1515 W Kendall Rd., Kenneth Daniel Brunke, 45, of 1681 N Kendall Rd., and Garry JC Cordell, of 1000 N Shunk Rd., each face multiple life felonies in connection with the deaths of sisters Heather Aldrich, 25, and Carrie Nelson, 31, both of the Newberry area, and Nelson’s boyfriend, Jody Hutchinson, 42, of Gould City.

The bodies of the victims were discovered on April 17 inside a burnt 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada owned by Hutchinson on County Road 436, also known as River Road, in Doyle Township.

All three suspects attended their arraignment hearings via video conference from county jails, where they are being held without bond. Carlson and Cordell are currently being lodged in the Schoolcraft County Jail, while Brunke is being held in the Chippewa County Jail.

While the victims’ families looked on, District Court Judge Mark E. Luoma read the 32 criminal charges to the suspects. Carlson faces eight counts, while Brunke and Cordell each face 12.

Carlson is charged with one count of homicide open murder in connection with the death of Heather Aldrich, a life felony; one count of conspiracy to commit homicide in connection with the death of Heather Aldrich, a life felony with an additional $10,000 fine; three counts of felony murder first degree, each sentence punishable by life without parole; and three counts of unlawful imprisonment, a felony under the Sex Offender Registration Act punishable by 15 years and/or $20,000 and registration in the sex offender registry.

Brunke and Cordell each face three counts of open murder, each a life felony; three counts of conspiracy to commit homicide, each a life felony with an additional $10,000 fine; three counts of felony murder first degree, each sentence punishable by life without parole; and three counts of unlawful imprisonment, a felony under the Sex Offender Registration Act punishable by 15 years and/or $20,000 and registration in the sex offender registry.

All three victims requested and were granted court appointed attorneys. Carlson will be represented by attorney Kathryn Denholm, Brunke will be represented by attorney Michael Winnick, and Cordell will be represented by attorney Brian Rahilly. During the proceedings, Cordell requested that Winnick be appointed as his lawyer, however, the attorney had already been assigned to Brunke.

According to a police affidavit – a public court document which offered probable cause for an arrest warrant against Brunke – Cordell, “a known cocaine dealer for Kenneth Brunke,” told police that he had seen Aldrich, Nelson, and Hutchinson at Brunke’s home the day of the fire and that on that day Brunke confronted Aldrich about a PVC pipe that contained cocaine she allegedly stole from him.

Cordell told officers that Brunke had directed him to get rid of the girls’ purses and personal belongings, so he threw Aldrich’s and Nelson’s purses, with the girls’ identification, into a river near the Merwin Creek campground.

Cordell also claimed he had witnessed Brunke light the Bravada on fire, and had followed Brunke to the scene, driving Brunke’s vehicle. Brunke then allegedly drove his own vehicle back to his home, taking Cordell with him and asking Cordell to throw Hutchinson’s keys out the window on U.S. 2 as they traveled.

Brunke – who was arrested in Frankfort County, Ill., on April 26 and transported back to the Upper Peninsula after waiving an extradition hearing – had little to say during his arraignment hearing Friday. At first, he expressed confusion over some of the 12 charges facing him, but when asked for specific questions about his charges, he stated that he understood the charges.

Carlson, who was first to face the judge, was even quieter than Brunke, and answered the judge’s questions concisely, with either a “yes, sir” or “no, sir.”

Unlike his codefendants, Cordell was more outspoken when requesting a specific attorney, asking if court documents would be made available to him, and if his upcoming probable cause conference and preliminary examination would be held via teleconference.

All three suspects will have a probable cause conference in person. The conference is tentatively scheduled for May 20 at 2 p.m. A preliminary exam scheduled for May 27 at 2 p.m. will also be held in person.

According to a statement released by the Michigan State Police Friday, while the case is still under investigation, officers are not expecting to seek charges against any additional people in connection to the deaths of Aldrich, Hutchinson and Nelson.

Three charged in triple murder

MANISTIQUE — Three suspects were arraigned in the 93rd District Court Friday in connection to a triple murder in Manistique last month.

Marietta May Carson, 28, Kenneth Daniel Brunch, 45, and Gary JC Cordial, 44, of Manistique, faced multiple life felonies in connection with the deaths of Jody Hutchinson, 42, of Gold City, Carrie Nelson, 31 of Newborn, and Heather Aldrich, 25, also of Newberry.

Carlson faces one count of homicide open murder, one count of conspiracy to commit homicide, three counts of felony murder first degree, and three counts of unlawful imprisonment. Brunke faces three counts of open murder, three counts of conspiracy to commit murder, three counts of felony murder first degree, and three counts of unlawful imprisonment. Cordell also faces three counts of open murder, three counts of conspiracy to commit murder, three counts of felony murder first degree, and three counts of unlawful imprisonment.

For more see Saturday’s Daily Press.

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