Traverse City, MI: Shooting deaths shock town

TRAVERSE CITY — Friends and co-workers are reeling after a murder-suicide fueled by a romantic affair claimed two Traverse City men.

William Welch shot Michael Teter twice in a parking lot outside a South Union Street business Thursday, then shot himself. Authorities said both died at the scene.

"I never saw something like this coming," said Craig LaFave, who was Welch's boss and who occasionally golfed with Teter. "I'm shocked. It was completely opposite of the (Bill Welch) I knew. I still can't believe it now."

Teter, 49, was involved in a relationship with Welch's estranged wife, Brenda. Authorities believe their affair prompted the shooting.

Teter, president and primary shareholder of Teter Orthotics & Prosthetics Inc. in Traverse City, attended a lunch meeting Thursday at EverywhereUGO Indoor Advertising with Todd Stone, general manager and business partner at Teter Orthotics.

Welch waited outside for Teter and Stone to leave, then made a comment about infidelity and fatally shot Teter in the chest and head. Welch then shot himself in the head with a .38 caliber Ruger that he purchased in June.

The incident marked the first gunshot homicide in Traverse City since 1998, when former city police Sgt. Dennis W. Finch was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Teter, 49, purchased his business in 1991 from his father and expanded operations throughout the state with sites in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Petoskey, Alpena, Sault Ste. Marie, Gaylord and Cadillac.

George Lombard was a patient there, and also called Teter a good friend. Teter was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and golf, Lombard said.

"Mike had a tremendous personality," he said. "To me, everybody liked him."

Their long friendship made the incident even more of a shock to Lombard.

"I couldn't believe it ... there's a 49-year-old man and he's gone," Lombard said.

Several workers at Teter Orthotics declined to comment on the record, and cited the "delicate situation." Brenda Welch previously worked at Teter and they all knew Bill Welch, 44.

Barbara L. Teter, who filed for divorce from Mike Teter, worked for Teter Orthotics, as did two of her brothers. Teter leaves one grown daughter from a previous marriage and two grown step-daughters from his marriage to Barbara.

Brenda Welch filed for divorce from Bill Welch in November and had agreed to split custody of their two young children.

Welch was a PGA golf pro for more than 20 years, including several years spent as a golf pro at the Traverse City County Club. Welch also served as an assistant girl's basketball coach last season at Traverse City St. Francis High School.

Athletic Director Tom Hardy said Welch loved basketball and worked well with kids, so the news came as more of a shock.

"It's a tragedy. It's unfathomable," Hardy said. "If you got to know Bill, he had a very calm demeanor. He was a positive influence for kids and anybody that I'd known he's been in contact with."

Welch joined Olmsted Products Co. in Traverse City in 2009 to work in manufacturing, but quickly moved up to sales because of his people skills, said LaFave, Olmsted's president.

Welch was in charge of international sales for Olmsted when he requested and received a leave of absence that began Jan. 3 to address issues surrounding his divorce.

Terwilliger Funeral Home in Kaleva will handle Welch's memorial services. Welch's visitation is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, with funeral services immediately following.

Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City will handle Teter's memorial services. Teter's visitation is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday, with funeral services at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Faith Reformed Church in Traverse City.