Discovery follows a welfare check off M-89; case treated as a homicide investigation.
OTSEGO TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Michigan State Police returned Friday, Nov. 14, to a vacant property near M-89 and 106th Avenue and found additional human remains scattered behind the home, one day after an initial discovery during a welfare check prompted a homicide investigation.
Authorities said the remains appear to belong to one person and are in an advanced state of decomposition. Troopers were first called to the address Thursday night to check on a person who had been staying in a camper on the lot and had not been seen in weeks. The case is now in the hands of state investigators and forensic experts, who will work to identify the deceased and determine a cause of death. An autopsy is planned at Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.
Troopers and K-9 teams searched the yard through the morning hours Friday, expanding the scene behind the house as evidence technicians marked locations where remains were found. Investigators first responded around Thursday evening after a welfare check led them to the backyard. The property owner was not at the home, and police said someone had been given permission to stay there. Detectives said the person reported missing had been living in a nearby camper and, based on what officers observed, may have been dead for roughly three weeks. “This remains an active scene with many unknowns,” state police said, noting that work could stretch late into the night depending on findings.
Detective Sgt. Bryan Fuller said investigators discovered remains in the backyard during the initial response and found more pieces Friday as teams combed the property. All remains collected so far are believed to be from one individual. The MSP Grand Rapids forensic lab is processing items recovered at the scene. Anthropologists from Western Michigan University were asked to assist with the excavation and documentation of the scatter pattern. The address sits along the 600 block of Lincoln Road, also signed as M-89, just north of 106th Avenue. Officials have not released the presumed age, sex or identity of the person. Whether the remains belong to the camper resident reported missing for three to four weeks is still unconfirmed, Fuller said.
Records show troopers were called for a welfare check and missing-person complaint, a routine request that can range from wellness concerns to criminal matters. In this case, the call quickly shifted into a death investigation once remains were located outdoors behind the structure. Police described the house as currently unoccupied by its owner and emphasized that a guest had been allowed to use the property. The large search footprint Friday, including the use of K-9 units and evidence markers across the backyard, underscores the possibility that weather, animals or time may have dispersed remains after death, complicating recovery and identification.
Forensic steps are underway to establish who died and how. The remains have been transferred to Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker medical school for a full autopsy and identification workup. That process typically includes dental comparisons, fingerprints when possible, radiographs and, if needed, DNA profiling sent through state and national databases. MSP said results will guide the next phase of the homicide investigation, including interviews, search warrants and any additional scene work. Investigators plan to review missing-person reports from the past month in Allegan County and surrounding jurisdictions to see whether any details match the condition and timeline of the remains. No arrests have been announced, and authorities have not named a suspect or person of interest.
Neighbors described a heavy police presence Thursday night, with cruisers and evidence vans on Lincoln Road and side streets. Several residents said they saw lights behind the home as investigators worked the backyard. Friday morning, drivers on M-89 slowed as yellow tape and marked units remained at the address. “It’s unsettling when you wake up and see that many troopers outside,” said one nearby resident who asked not to be named. Another neighbor said they had noticed the camper on the property in recent weeks but had little contact with the person believed to be staying there. Police have not released the missing person’s name, citing the ongoing investigation.
As of Saturday, investigators said the site search is largely complete and evidence is being processed. The medical examiner’s office will report initial autopsy findings once next of kin can be notified, with preliminary results expected after lab work is reviewed. If identification is confirmed and the manner of death ruled a homicide, the case will move to prosecutors for charging decisions. State police said they will provide a further update when identification and cause of death are established or if significant new evidence emerges.
Author note: Last updated November 16, 2025.