Update on family massacre in MI:Gal uses gun to kill sister & 2 child-slaves,aged 5 & 6, then kills self
Joe1orbit
Hello,
One of the things that really irks me is when a major crime is IGNORED by the
media just because it occurs in a small, rural town. That was the case with the
young fellow who slaughtered five people with a hammer months ago in the town
of Noble, Illinois, and now it looks like this same very upsetting development
has occured with regard to the discovery of four people, 2 women and 2
children, shot to death inside of a house in the small town of Baroda, in
Michigan, on Thursday. I have spent the past 90 full minutes, carefully trying
to search out a detailed update on this incident, with no luck. I did find one
older AP wire report, that does provide us with a few more details on what
certainly appears to be a triple murder-suicide, committted by a gal. But the
full story is not told in this wire report, and it is quite upsetting that
cases like this one, SOLELY because they occur in small rural towns, are
virtually ignored by the media.
Two adult sisters, 41 year old Mary Jean Hinkelman and 33 year old Lori
Klingspon, are dead. So are the two daughters of Mary Jean, aged 5 and 6. All
four victims were shot once in the head, fatally, with a handgun. Police
believe very strongly that this was a murder-suicide, obviously committed by
one of the 2 sisters. It is NOT clear which sister is the prime suspect, but
one of the sisters was found lying on top of the handgun. She was in one
bedroom. The three other people, one adult & 2 children, were all shot to death
in a different bedroom. Obviously the sister found lying on top of the gun is
the likely killer. She shot her sis and the 2 kids in one bedroom, then went
into a different bedroom and shot herself to death.
The older sister, Mommy of the two kids, was the legal owner of a .38 caliber
handgun, but there is no confirmation that this was the gun used in the
massacre. There was no evidence of any forced entry or of a violent struggle,
this again points right in the direction of a triple murder-suicide.
At about 4 AM Thursday morning, a female caller from INSIDE the house called
911. Police don't know who made the call, but the caller was "hysterical and
upset". By the time police arrived, everyone inside the house, the two sisters
and Mary Jean's two slaves, were all dead. The FATHER of the two sisters lived
right next door, but is apparently not considered a suspect in the shootings.
The Daddy of the 2 children was apparently estranged from Mary Jean, and lived
out of state.
One of the sisters had been in court on Wednesday, the day before the
massacre, contesting a visitation award given to her ex-husband. Logic dictates
that this sister most likely was Mary Jean, the Mommy of the 2 small children
killed. In court, no actual ruling on her contested visitation was made, but
the judge set another court date for this Monday, to continue hearing her claim
and to make a ruling. There was no allegation of abuse made either by or
against the sister, or other serious threat expressed, during the court
hearing. Declares a court official: ""There was nothing unusual. The father was
seeking to exercise his award time that was provided. The mother filed against
that."
Meanwhile, neighbors and other residents of this small town are naturally
shocked and amazed that one of these gals embarked upon and successfully
carried out a triple murder-suicide. They ran a fruit farm stand together, and
one of the sisters, most likely 41 year old Mary Jean, had won a local beauty
pageant over 20 years ago.
So that's about all the news I have found on this case. I don't mind spending
90 minutes looking for info on a major and impressive crime like this one, I
just get upset when my search proves to be basically futile. The media really
does need to get out more, go to the small towns when a major crime story
breaks, and provide adequate coverage.
I think it looks very likely that the Mommy of the 2 child-slaves, 41 year
old Mary Jean Hinkelman, is indeed the killer. She took out her licensed .38
caliber gun, shot her younger sister to death FIRST, very possibly while she
was sleeping, then pumped two bullets into the heads of her daughters, aged 5
and 6, and then finally killed herself. That would be my guess, although
nothing in the below wire report truly discounts the possibility of the younger
sister being the killer.
Take care, JOE
The following appears courtesy of yesterday's Associated Press news wire:
Two adult sisters and two children found dead in southwest Michigan home
By LISA SINGHANIA
The Associated Press
06/26/98
BARODA, Mich. (AP) -- The phone started ringing at Velma Tio's diner early as
news spread of the possible murder-suicide of two adult sisters and two young
children.
Residents of this rural, southwest Michigan community of about 1,000 could
think of little else Thursday but the four found dead in a two-story woodframe
home, each reportedly with a gunshot wound to the head.
Police identified the dead as Mary Jean Hinkelman, 41; her two daughters,
Rebecca Hinkelman, 6, and Jessica Hinkelman, 5; and Ms. Hinkleman's sister,
Lori Klingspon, 33. Formal identifications were pending.
Berrien County Prosecutor Angela Pasula said investigators "are looking at the
strong possibility of murder-suicide," given no evidence of a struggle or
forced entry at the home.
One woman was found in a bedroom, her corpse atop a handgun, the prosecutor
said. The other adult victim and the two children were found in another
bedroom, Ms. Pasula said.
Ms. Hinkelman was the registered owner of a .38-caliber pistol, though it
remains unclear whether that handgun was the one found at the scene or used in
the shootings, the prosecutor said.
Autopsies were scheduled for today.
As of Thursday afternoon, a crime lab van remained parked in front of the home
as investigators cordoned off the area with yellow tape. The family's farm
stand, still decorated with wood cutouts of watermelons, was shut down.
"The phone calls have been coming in since 5 a.m. Everyone wanted to know why
the road near the house was shut down," Mrs. Tio said. "I'm just shocked and
sad. I'd always see the kids outside playing."
Baroda-Lake Deputy Chief John Gast said police were called to the home in
Berrien County, about 13 miles south of St. Joseph, about 4 a.m. when a woman
inside the house phoned 911. He said investigators don't know who made the
call.
"You could hear the voice of a woman," the prosecutor said of the 911 call.
"She was hysterical and upset."
Gast also said the adult sisters' father, who lived next door, was in shock.
The children's father, Carlyn Ray Hinkelman Jr. of Oklahoma City, Okla., was on
his way to Baroda, his lawyer said.
Neighbors of the victims described them as well-known in town because of the
fruit farm stand they ran.
"This is a shock to me and to the community," said Todd Tysman, who lives down
the road and grew up with the family. "A couple of kids have been taken away
from a family."
Friend of the Court Executive Director Rosemary Brock said one of the sisters
had been in court Wednesday contesting a visitation award given to her former
husband. She said the case had been continued until Monday, but there were no
allegations of abuse or any type of behavior that might presage violence.
"There was nothing unusual," Ms. Brock said. "The father was seeking to
exercise his award time that was provided. The mother filed against that."
Baroda residents, meanwhile, struggled to understand what might have triggered
the events leading to the death.
Fred Mesinger, a retired milk man, said the family kept to itself, but was
well-known around town. He said one of the sisters had been named Miss Baroda
more than 20 years ago. Mesinger said he frequented the family's fruit stand
and had fond memories of the adult sisters' mother, who died a few years ago.
"They were just hardworkers," he said of the family. "I was just thinking it
was lucky the mother's no longer alive. This would have crushed her."
Charlene Tio Dillen said the deaths make her sad, but her faith in Baroda
remains strong.
"It doesn't change my feelings about the town. This was a domestic situation.
If it'd been a break-in, that would be different," said Mrs. Dillen, who
waitresses at her mother's diner. "Kids can ride their bikes around here and
not be afraid. We watch out for each other."
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hhinkelman
I am Mary Hinkelman's third daughter. She was my stepmother but had been a part of my life as long as I can recall. I have always and will continue to call her my mom. First of all, my sisters were not slaves - They were the center of my mom's world. Their short lives were filled with fun and happiness. Secondly, I assure you that there was by no means any sort of media blackout related to this small town tragedy. My world was shaken over and over as stories, updates, and "unconfirmed" reports were printed or aired. Lastly, to Joe, your callous review of this "major and impressive crime" is disturbing. These people were my family, and nearly 19 years later there isn't a day which passes that I don't miss them. I miss my sisters, mom, and aunt. I'm sad that they are not part of my life and my children's lives, but I am also angry that people like Joe feel warranted to pass judgment on something they are ignorant regarding. Many factors played into this tragedy, but in the end, all that matters is that four wonderful people were lost. They leave behind families who miss them so I would hope that if individuals feel the need to investigate tragedies like this they stick to the facts rather than passing incorrect judgments on the people lost.
Beaver Fever
> Whoever wrote the first post those were my family, and you referring to them as child slaves you are a no life scum bag. I'm so sorry you can't get off on details of other peoples lives being destroyed. You need to find another hobby, those children lived a wonderful life until that time. You don't know what their families have went through.