Michigan Landlord Charged With Tenant's Murder
VALLEY TWP. (WWJ/AP) - A 79-year-old landlord has been charged in the fatal shooting of his 37-year-old tenant in an apparent dispute over late payment on a land contract.
Marion Conley of Otsego Township was arraigned Thursday in Allegan on charges of open murder, felony firearm, and resisting and obstructing a police officer. Magistrate Kirby Goodwin set his bond at $750,000 and scheduled a preliminary examination March 28.
The Allegan County Sheriff's Department says Jody Snyder was found dead March 9 at his home in Valley Township. A detective testified that Snyder was shot twice in the head with a .22 caliber handgun.
Conley's wife told police that the night before Snyder's body was found, her husband told her to tell anyone who asked about his gun that she didn't know anything about it, Mlive.com reported. When his wife looked for the gun case, it was gone, according to court testimony.
Police say Conley owned the home that Snyder was living in under a land contract. According to police, Conley earlier threatened to kill Snyder because of the condition of the house and late payments on the contract.
Conley's wife, Mal, said she's shocked at the case against her husband, calling it a "nightmare."
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