Police

Now that the recently charged suspect in the 1988 death of Cathy Swartz has died in jail by suicide, investigators fear questions in the case will never get answered. WOOD-TV has reported that Robert Waters, 53, died on Saturday at the Beaufort, South Carolina, County Detention Center just days before Michigan police were planning to pick him up. WOOD said …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the theft of a dirt bike from a location in Fawn River Township. The motorcycle was taken between 3 a.m. May 3 and 12:30 p.m. May 4 from the 28000 Block of Fawn River Road. Authorities said the dirt bike is a 2021 Honda CRF-450X.

St. Joseph County Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said the department is taking part in a three-week enhanced enforcement centering on seatbelt usage. The annual “Click It or Ticket” enhanced enforcement will run May 15 through June 4 as part of a national seatbelt enforcement program. Bingaman said the campaign coincides with summer-travel season. Two-hundred and twenty-eight people not wearing a seatbelt …

A man who was arrested last month in the 1988 stabbing and strangulation of a Three Rivers woman has died in a South Carolina jail, where he was awaiting extradition to face a murder charge. Three Rivers Police said they were told Saturday about the death of Robert Waters, age 53, at the detention center in Beaufort County, South Carolina. …

A South Carolina man has been charged in a Three Rivers woman’s 1988 slaying after investigators used forensic genetic genealogy to narrow the pool of suspects to a single family, authorities said Monday. Robert Odell Waters, age 53, was arrested Sunday afternoon in Beaufort, South Carolina, where he lives, in the killing of Cathy Sue Swartz, St. Joseph County Prosecuting …

St. Joseph County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite was ordered to serve one year of probation after pleading guilty to a pair of misdemeanor charges related to a drunken-driving crash from earlier this year. The 47-year-old Lillywhite appeared Monday during arraignment at the Kalamazoo County Courthouse. Lillywhite apologized to emergency personnel who responded to the Feb. 26 crash that led to his arrest …

A 54-year-old Three Rivers resident was arrested this week for allegedly making a threat against Three Rivers Middle School. Authorities said James Roberts was charged with making a false report or threat of terrorism after allegedly calling in a threat against the school Friday. Roberts was arraigned Tuesday; bond was set at $250,000. If convicted, Roberts could face up to …

A Sturgis woman was arrested on drug- and weapon-related charges following a traffic stop in Fawn River Township. Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said the vehicle was stopped shortly after 11 p.m. Monday near the intersection of Fawn River Road and Lakeview Road Sturgis K-9 officer Odin was deployed and reacted to the presence of narcotics. Deputies arrested a 30-year-old woman, authorities …

A man who opened fire at a northeastern Indiana apartment complex, shooting at officers during an hours-long overnight standoff, died early Thursday after being taken into custody, police said. The suspect, who police said fired hundreds of rounds Wednesday night from a second-floor apartment in Kendallville, died while receiving medical treatment shortly after he was taken into custody at about …

A man accused of killing a mid-Michigan woman with a crossbow was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday. Officers were called Sunday to a home on reports that a woman had been shot, the Battle Creek Police Department said. Kori-Lee Moser, 44, was found injured and taken to a hospital, where she later died, officers said. Joel Wagner, 59, was arrested …