Mason — Donald Holmes, the man wanted in connection with the Friday shooting death of his wife, turned himself in to authorities at about 5 a.m. Tuesday, Meridian Township police said.
Holmes, 64, was arraigned Tuesday in Mason's 55th District Court, and he is charged with one count of first-degree open murder and one count of felony firearm. If convicted of the charges, Holmes could serve up to life in prison.
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina read Holmes' not guilty plea and did not authorize a bond for the Haslett resident.
Holmes' surrender ended a four-day search by Meridian Township police. The Haslett resident was last seen Friday morning traveling westbound from the Okemos MSU Federal Credit Union where his wife, 62-year-old Catherine Holmes, was shot and killed inside her car.
Meridian police Sgt. Greg Frenger said there are no other suspects in the case and that Holmes was not combative when he turned himself in to the Ingham County Sheriff's Office complaint desk.
He declined to comment on whether or not Holmes was armed on Tuesday morning or what caliber of handgun was used in the shooting.
"It's a relief that he's been located," Frenger said. "We can now move our focus from locating him to gathering the details of the case as it moves to the next level."
Holmes is a former MSU police officer and works as a program presenter for MSU's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, specializing in accident investigation, MSU spokesman Terry Denbow said Sunday.
When Holmes was escorted into the courtroom Tuesday afternoon, he briefly looked to the four tearful family members in attendance. Holmes, who wore a yellow jumpsuit and looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days, had trouble staying awake before the hearing began.
Frenger said he was fatigued when he turned himself in.
But Holmes was focused and frank when Judge Aquilina questioned him about his occupation, residence history in Ingham County and where he lives.
He hesitated before answering who he lived with at his Haslett residence.
"Well, my wife until last Friday. All our children are grown," Holmes said.
Dan Doneth, Holmes' attorney at the hearing, asked the judge to consider a reasonable bond for his client because he surrendered himself Tuesday and has no criminal record, but no bond was awarded.
As Holmes was slowly escorted out of the courtroom, members of his immediate family, including his son, daughter and her partner, stood up and mouthed "We love you" as they cried.
Frenger said the Holmes' four children continue to cooperate with police and that their main priority now is the well-being of their father.
"They are certainly relieved, and I guess they will want to talk to their dad and see if he's all right," he said. "But I think they are still in shock."
Holmes will remain in the Ingham County Jail until his next scheduled court appearance on Nov. 28.
Maggie Lillis can be reached at lillisma@msu.edu.
