Authorities Investigate Possible Serial Killer in Michigan Trail Deaths
WHO:
CBS News - Lansing Police Chief Robert Backus stated that three of the five deaths were determined to be homicides.
CBS News - Edward Smith, 24, was arrested in connection with the homicide of Daniel Lusk, 22, on August 20.
Fox News - Lansing Police Chief Rob Backus is leading the investigation.
CBS News - The victims are identified as five unhoused men.
WHAT:
CBS News - The manner of death for two of the five victims is unclear; one was ruled undetermined, and a finding has not yet been issued for the other.
CBS News - The victims include Gino Chouinard, 54, who died on October 14, 2025; Denis Dunnebacke, 70, who died on July 12, 2026; Robert Smith, 57, who died on July 17, 2026; and Louis Woodruff, 57, who died on September 1, 2026.
Fox News - Authorities are investigating five deaths that may be connected, with police stating they are looking into the possibility of a serial killer.
Fox News - Four out of five victims suffered "blunt force trauma to the facial area."
CBS News - The police are considering whether the deaths could be the work of a serial killer.
WHERE:
Fox News - The victims were discovered along the Lansing River Trail, which is near Michigan State University's campus.
Fox News - Specific locations mentioned include the 200 block of East Cesar Chavez Avenue and the 300 block of East Oakland Avenue in Lansing, Michigan.
WHEN:
Fox News - The deaths occurred over the last year.
Fox News - A news conference was held on Friday, October 2, 2026, to discuss the investigation.
Fox News - One victim, Louis Woodruff, was critically injured and later died on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
WHY:
Fox News - The investigation is focused on determining if the five deaths are related and if they are the result of a single killer.
HOW:
CBS News - The police department has set up camera trailers along the trail and assigned night shift officers to patrol the area.
Fox News - Investigators are exploring the idea that the victims may have been attacked overnight.
(UPDATED October 9, 2026 00:01 UTC)
Lansing Police Chief Robert Backus has confirmed that three of the five recent deaths in the area have been ruled homicides, while the manner of death for two victims remains unclear. Edward Smith, 24, has been arrested in connection with the homicide of Daniel Lusk, 22, which occurred on August 20. To enhance safety, the police department has deployed camera trailers along the trail and assigned night shift officers to patrol the area.
--
(UPDATED October 8, 2026 17:13 UTC)
Authorities in Lansing, Michigan, are investigating the deaths of five unhoused men, with police looking into the possibility of a serial killer. Four of the victims suffered blunt force trauma to the facial area, and they were discovered along the Lansing River Trail, near Michigan State University's campus. Investigators are exploring the idea that these attacks may have occurred overnight, as they work to determine if the deaths are connected and the result of a single perpetrator.