A 25-year-old Westland man is facing first-degree murder charges in the death of his father.
Prosecutors claim that Flem Stiltner IV killed his father, 48-year-old Flem Stiltner III of Wayne, and then attempted to hide the victim's body near Belleville Lake.
According to police reports, Michigan State Police were notified at about 10:12 a.m. Aug. 2 by Van Buren Township Police that a body had been found in the bed of a pickup truck.
According to police, the Wayne man was killed at a home on the 4400 block of John Hix Road in Wayne and his body then placed in the bed of a pickup truck and driven to the area of Belleville Road and Quirk Road by the suspect.
Troopers were called to the scene when the body was discovered by a passerby who noticed the truck stuck in the mud early Sunday morning. The victim was subsequently identified by investigators and the scene of the crime secured.
Michigan State Police took the younger Stiltner into custody later Sunday following evidence gathered at the Wayne home. Police indicated that an initial investigation appeared to indicate that the suspect was attempting to dispose of the victim's body by dumping the truck into Belleville Lake but abandoned the vehicle, with the body, when the truck got stuck in the mud.
Stiltner was arraigned in 29th District Court in Wayne on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree home invasion and tampering with evidence. He was scheduled for a probable cause conference Aug. 25 and a preliminary investigation Sept. 1 in 29th District Court.
Investigators are still seeking information about the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Michigan State Police Metro South Post at (734) 287-5000.
