Man Ordered To Stand Trial In Girlfriend's Beating Death

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - A judge has ordered a 45-year-old western Michigan man to stand trial on open murder and other charges in the slaying of his girlfriend whose death was staged as a fatal car crash.

The Grand Rapids Press reports that a police detective testified Tuesday at Donald Spice's district court hearing that blood-stained cloth from a bed's box spring were found in trash bags in their home.

Lori Vargas' body was found in November in a burning car along Interstate 96 near Grand Rapids.

Police say the crash and fire were staged to cover up the slaying. An autopsy determined that the 37-year-old Vargas was struck with a blunt object and died of head trauma.

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