Friday, December 2, 2011

Bad Ax, MI: More details emerge regarding apparent murder-suicide involving former Bad Axe Police chief, wife

BAD AXE — Huron County investigators say they believe a man and woman found dead in an Ingham County motel room are a former Bad Axe Police chief and his wife.
Gary E. Bucholtz, 58, and his 38-year-old wife, Rhonda L. Bucholtz, were reported missing by family members who were “very concerned because of marital difficulties that had evolved over the last several months,” said Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson.
The couple, from Huron Township, are parents of a 5-year-old child.
Hanson could not comment on the nature of the nature of the couple’s troubles.
Local authorities were searching for the couple Tuesday when police in Mason, a town about 14 miles south of Lansing and 180 miles southwest of Port Hope, notified Hanson that they’d found the Bucholtz’s Chevrolet Uplander minivan in the parking lot of a motel where an apparent murder-suicide had occurred.
According to reports, Mason police suspect that Gary Bucholtz kidnapped his wife from somewhere in Huron County.
The couple reportedly checked into Heb’s Inn about 3 a.m. and were found dead of gunshot wounds about 12 hours later.
The Ingham County medical examiner has yet to make a positive identification.
Rhonda Bucholtz is an aunt of Brent Tinsey, the 20-year-old Ubly man who was found shot to death Nov. 20 in Sanilac County. The investigation into Tinsey's death is ongoing.
Gary Bucholtz’s brother is Gagetown Police Chief Gene Bucholtz.

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