“It’s a slow process as with any major case,” said Osceola County Undersheriff Dave Fowler. “The key emphasis is going to be thoroughness instead of rushing to judgment.”

Police have a ton of leads, Fowler said, but no arrest has been made.

Ryerse has been bound over to circuit court where he awaits a tentative trial date on March 27. During a preliminary examination for Ryerse, police recounted statements he made about events that led up to the shooting.

Amy Musselman was charged with open murder. She is presently being evaluated to determine if she is competent to stand trial.

“I have literally looked at hundreds of homicides, but even for me, this is a gruesome case,” Cox said.

Dell’eva, 52, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree vulnerable adult abuse. Reed City resident Estelle Dell’eva, 72, was found by paramedics buried beneath blankets and trash in the home she shared with her son. Infection caused by bedsores and gangrene was determined as the cause of death.

Dell’eva underwent competency exams and was deemed mentally fit. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was given a one-year jail sentence and probation.

Attempted murder charges

Most of the individuals arrested pleaded guilty while agreeing to testify against Eric Dean Kroes, who is scheduled for trial on March 6.

Kroes is charged with assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and torture.

Kevin Anthony Cheaves is scheduled to be sentenced today in 28th Circuit Court after pleading no contest to three counts of assault with intent to murder and two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm, less than murder.

The incident occurred at the Blue Gingham Inn in Clam Lake Township. Cheaves was sentenced to 400 to 600 months in prison.

According to police, DeWolf attempted to cut the woman’s throat with a knife and attempted to force her into a bathtub of scalding water and drown her.

Drug cases

John Nelson Heasty, Jr., Jamie Fay Monter, Daniel Wayne Fosnight, Wanda Lee Graebner and Robert Alan Merritt were arraigned on a charge of conspiracy to distribute.

The charges, brought by the Traverse Narcotics Team, involved the import of a large amount of crystal meth to the area. Those involved had been in the drug trade for years, said Lt. Dan King from TNT.

Heasty was sentenced to a mandatory 10 years and Merritt was given five years.

So far, Donald Duane Salmon was sentenced to 330 days confinement and Donald Ray Winrick was sentenced to 23 months to four years prison.

Timothy Duane Miller, Sr. was sentenced to 18 to 72 months prison after pleading guilty to delivery of marijuana and maintaining a drug house. Donald Lee Miller pleaded guilty as well and forfeited his residence, cash and vehicles seized at the time of the warrant.

Also charged for their alleged connection to the crimes were Michael Lynn Campbell, Penny Marie Miller, Cheryl Vancil (Leone) and Michael Spann.

“Those are major cases,” King said, reflecting on the year.

TNT also closed out two methamphetamine task forces which led to a number of guilty pleas.

Sexual assault

A Brethren man is facing a jury trial in 28th Circuit Court on three counts of criminal sexual conduct first degree and assault with a dangerous weapon.

David James Atkinson is charged with assaulting an 18-year-old clerk on Oct. 25 at the Cadillac Shell Gas Station. He faces a pretrial Friday.

mwhetstone@cadillacnews.com | 775-NEWS (6397)