Monday, September 5, 2011

Independence Township, MI: Police release names in murder-suicide in Independence Township

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office released the names today of the victims of a murder-suicide in Independence Township that police say was precipitated by a man’s fixation on a young woman.

Police say Matthew S. Adair, 26, shot and killed Lou Ann Hinze, 56, and wounded Charles Hinze, 50, before turning the gun on himself just after 2:30 a.m. Saturday.

Kristen Hinze, 19, found Adair in her family’s home at 2:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The two met at the Salvation Army -- where she worked and he was performing community service for a marijuana conviction -- Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. Adair became fixated on her, he said.

When she discovered Adair in her bedroom, he began choking her, police said. Kristen Hinze screamed and when her mother, Lou Ann Hinze, went to her room to check on her, she was shot, Sheriff’s Sgt. Wesley Beltz said today. Lou Ann Hinze later was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Kristen’s father, Charles Hinze, was shot in the shoulder and ran to the basement to get his shotgun, Beltz said. Before he got back upstairs, he heard another shot -- Adair turning the weapon on himself, Beltz said.

It’s unclear where Kristen Hinze was during that time, but she was not injured. Charles Hinze was treated at the hospital and released.

Police did not release additional details today on their investigation.

The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the case was ruled a murder-suicide.

Several neighbors near the Hinzes’ home on Whipple Lake Road declined to comment or said they didn’t know the family well. The Salvation Army declined to comment.

According to Adair’s obituary posted on the Oakland Press’ Web site, he was from Oxford, and a funeral service and visitation were being held privately.

Contact Elisha Anderson: 313-222-5144 or eanderson99@freepress.com

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