Brown
Police are investigating a possible suspect in the Sept. 29 homicide of an MSU student and three others in Wright Township.
Troy Brake, 31, of Grant, Mich. was arrested Thursday for allegedly shooting a man and assaulting a prostitute on South Division Avenue and Hall Street in Grand Rapids, according to The Grand Rapids Press.
But police are looking into a connection Brake may have with the quadruple homicide.
Katherine A. Brown, 18, who was an agribusiness management sophomore, was killed Sept. 29 at her boyfriend’s home in Wright Township. Jeremy Zimmer, 20, who was dating Brown; his mother Sharmaine Zimmer, 53; and his brother Tyler Zimmer, 17, also were killed.
Brown was killed by blunt force trauma and the Zimmers were shot before their house was set on fire, which police said was meant to cover up the murders.
Brake has not been confirmed as a suspect in the case, but a possible connection is being reviewed said Ottawa County sheriff’s Lt. Mark Bennett.
“We’ve begun to look into a little bit of his background,” Bennett said. “But we haven’t closed any avenues with any other possible leads.”
A relative of the Zimmers said Brake lived next to Sharmaine Zimmer when he was younger, according to The Grand Rapids Press. Police could not confirm if Brake had ever been the Zimmers’ neighbor.
Ottawa County investigators sent information about the four-person homicide investigation to other area police outlets before Brake’s arrest, but Bennett would not release what kind of information was shared.
Grand Rapids police could not be reached for comment Monday.
“As to whether (Brake) will ultimately be regarded as a suspect — we have to do more interviews, more investigating,” Bennett said.
Ottawa County sheriff’s detectives were present at a search of Brake’s home in Grant Thursday evening, Bennett said. He could not disclose information on any collected evidence.
Russ Barkow, a father figure to Brown since her father’s death about two years ago, had not previously heard of Brake.
“I don’t know if there’s any links between him and Katherine’s case at all. We just don’t have any idea,” he said.
As the investigation continues into its fourth week, Brown’s family and friends have been waiting to hear any information about the homicide.
“We’re just like everybody else,” Barkow said. “We’re sitting back to see what comes of this, if anything.”
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
