Five unhoused men have died following separate incidents along Michigan's Lansing River Trail over the past year, and investigators are examining whether the deaths could be connected to a serial killer.
The Lansing Police Department has not confirmed a serial killer, but Police Chief Rob Backus laid out a timeline of five deaths at a Friday news conference. Investigators have identified several similarities between the cases.
"One question that we are being asked is do we have a serial killer in Lansing?" Backus said.
The timeline begins in October 2025, when 54-year-old Gino Chouinard was found injured near the 300 block of East Oakland Avenue and later died. Then, 268 days later, in July, 70-year-old Denis Dunnebacke was found unresponsive beneath the Kalamazoo Street Bridge.
Four days later, 57-year-old Robert Smith was found bleeding from the head near East Oakland Avenue and later died. Smith's death was ultimately ruled a homicide.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Rex Heuermann is sentenced to life in prison for New York’s Gilgo Beach serial killings
In August, 22-year-old Daniel Lusk was found stabbed to death beneath the Michigan Avenue Bridge. Ten days later, 57-year-old Louis Woodruff was found critically injured beneath a bridge near East Cesar Chavez Avenue and later died.
Police say all 5 victims were white unhoused men. Investigators also believe the incidents happened overnight, and that some of the victims may have been sleeping.
"And we are looking at the idea or the possibility that these may be related cases." Backus said.
"Based on how we found our victims and their surroundings, it would lead us to believe that this could be a pattern." Backus said.
A 23-year-old man has been charged in Lusk's death.
"One of these incidents is different than the others. Our charged case involves a victim who's been stabbed. Our other four incidents involve what appear to be blunt force trauma, traumatic injuries to the facial area." Backus said.
A lack of witnesses and surveillance footage has complicated the investigation.
"I'll tell you the difference between the solved case is camera surveillance. And it's lacking in the other cases." Backus said.
Backus said he hopes more cameras can be added along the trail. Bob Ford, one of the people who helped design the River Trail, said while he has noticed unhoused people during his frequent visits, he has not noticed violence.
"Every other day I'm on the River Trail doing something and I've noticed homeless people. But I haven't noticed violence." Ford said.
"I am concerned about personal property and personal rights, you know, privacy rights. But at the same time, when these types of things happen, it's appropriate." he added.
Lansing police say they have increased patrols, deployed camera trailers and are working with outreach groups to move unhoused people to safer locations. All five investigations remain active.
Anyone with information about any of these incidents is urged to contact the Lansing Police Department.
This story was originally published by Faraz Javed and Andrzej Milosz with the Scripps News Group in Detroit.
