Police

Sturgis City Manager Michael Hughes had good news last week regarding the vandalism to Oak Lawn Cemetery. He said Patten Michigan Monument Company of Sturgis is helping to restore headstones damaged over the weekend of April 2-3. Suspects remain unidentified in the vandalism that damaged more than 30 headstones. The loss was estimated at more than $50,000. Hughes said repairs …

The Michigan Court of Appeals upheld the murder conviction of Andy Brown in the 2013 shooting death of Sturgis CPA David Locey. The court released a 16-page opinion Wednesday, denying Brown a new trial. Brown is serving a maximum of 75 years in prison for second-degree murder and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was …

Officials from the village of Burr Oak have agreed to dissolve the community’s police department and contract protection through the St. Joseph County Sheriff ’s Department. During a special meeting Wednesday, village council members went into closed session, where they met with chief Cynthia Miller. After the closed session, a motion was made to accept the sheriff department’s contract and, …

The autopsy has been completed, following what police had originally labeled as a suspicious death. Police chief Mark Honeysett said no foul play is suspected in the death of 53-year-old Thomas Astling. He apparently died early this week at his home in the Whispering Pines Mobile Home park on South Washington Street. His body was discovered Wednesday afternoon.

A Sturgis woman has died as the result of a car-pedestrian accident Wednesday evening at the intersection of South Centreville and Fawn River Roads. The victim was identified as 20-year-old Michal Webb. She was reportedly walking her dog when she was struck by the car, which was driven by a 25-year-old female from Howe, Indiana. The dog was killed in the …

St. Joseph County voters in August will decide between two candidates for county clerk and county treasurer. Incumbent clerk Lindsay Oswald, who was appointed to the post in July 2015, is seeking the four-year term. A Lockport Township resident, the 36-year-old Oswald is being challenged by Melissa Marsh, 30, of Fabius Township. Judie Ratering, incumbent county treasurer, is vying for …

A White Pigeon man was injured last week after the motorcycle he was driving was struck by a car that had failed to yield near an intersection in Fabius Township. Sheriff’s department officials said the man was driving south on U.S. 131 shortly after 9 p.m. Friday when a SUV driven by a 72-year-old Mendon woman entered the roadway near …

Indiana State Police are running extra patrols in the area after chunks of concrete and other objects were tossed from an overpass onto the Indiana Toll Road in Elkhart County. Police say four vehicles were damaged after the concrete, a mailbox and a gallon jug of windshield washer fluid were tossed at cars April 22 from the County Road 19 …

Two people were arrested on drug-related offenses last week as part of a compliance check for people on parole or probation. Investigators from the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics unit teamed with parole agents from the Michigan Department of Corrections on the various checks Thursday. At a location in the 31000 block of Kelly Road in Burr Oak Township, several …

A cold-case investigation led by Cass County officials resulted in the arrest of an Indiana man related to a case dating to 1977. Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said Raymond Richmond, a 56-year-old South Bend resident, was arrested Thursday in connection with the November 1977 homicide of Robert Stasiak. The 25-year-old Stasiak was found shot at his parents’ Edwardsburg-area house …