Suspect Named In Deaths Of Pregnant Woman, Man
WYOMING, MICH. (AP) — Police on Friday identified the deceased suspect in the slayings of a pregnant Grand Rapids woman found in his car and her boyfriend.
City of Wyoming Police Chief James Carmody said Brady Oestrike, 31, committed suicide after crashing his car on an entrance ramp Thursday night during a police chase in western Michigan. Police found 18-year-old Brooke Slocum dead in the trunk of his vehicle.
Wyoming police found Slocum's boyfriend, Charles Oppenneer, 25, dead Wednesday in a park. Oppenneer and Slocum were last seen together last Saturday leaving her Grand Rapids apartment.
Authorities said they don't know the motive for the slayings. Autopsy results were pending for Slocum and Oppenneer, and police were trying to determine whether Oestrike acted alone.
Carmody said Oestrike and Slocum, who was eight months pregnant, met over the Internet on Craigslist.
"We have three victims: Charles Oppenneer, Brooke Slocum and her unborn child," Carmody said Friday morning at a news conference.
Carmody said investigators were preparing a search warrant for Oestrike's Wyoming home, where the chase began Thursday. Authorities say they found assault-style weapons at the house.
"He would give you the shirt off his back, so I'm not understanding how any of this could happen," Oestrike's sister, Wendy Oestrike, said.
Slocum's father, Greg Slocum, said he was suspicious of his daughter's whereabouts a few days ago when he didn't notice any recent posts by her on Facebook. He said she and Oppenneer were very close after meeting a year ago at the Ionia Free Fair.
"It was always just them two," Greg Slocum said.
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