The quest to find a missing woman from Michigan has taken a dark turn, transitioning into a homicide investigation with authorities suspecting her husband of killing her before ending his own life in front of law enforcement.
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, when discussing the fate of 60-year-old Kelly McWhirter, expressed to ABC12, "We are no longer searching for her. We are now focused on recovering her. This is a homicide investigation."
During a press conference on Wednesday, Swanson conveyed that McWhirter and her 57-year-old husband, Steven Higgins, were reported missing on Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, the search for their whereabouts had evolved into a criminal investigation.
According to Swanson, the police believe that the couple had a confrontation at a residence in Flushing over the weekend. During the altercation, one of them sustained an injury resulting in "significant blood loss."
Investigators managed to locate McWhirter's car in Norwalk, Ohio. They suspected that Higgins had driven her vehicle from Flushing to Norwalk before returning for his own car. Furthermore, there were indications of a struggle inside McWhirter's car.
The police eventually spotted Higgins' vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Swanson explained during the press conference, "There was a confrontation between the driver, later identified as Steven Higgins, and the officers trying to give verbal commands. Higgins refused to exit the vehicle."
In the end, Higgins took his own life through a self-inflicted gunshot. Although he was transported to the hospital, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries, as reported by WNEM.
Swanson reiterated on Thursday, "This is now a homicide investigation, and our suspect is deceased."
In an earlier statement on Wednesday, Swanson revealed his personal connection to McWhirter, noting that she had worked in his office as a secretary for many years. He described her as "a beautiful soul" and mentioned her subsequent role as a secretary in the Board of Commissioner's office. Her absence from work on Monday raised concerns because it was "completely out of character."
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