Officials: Woman Found In Burning Car Died Of Head Trauma
GRAND RAPIDS (AP) -- A death certificate says the woman whose body was found in a burning car in western Michigan died of head trauma.
The Grand Rapids Press reports Friday the document says Lori Marie Vargas was struck in the head with a blunt object.
Donald Spice has been charged with open murder in the death of Vargas, his fiancee. He made no statements Tuesday in Grand Rapids District Court and has been jailed pending a scheduled Nov. 20 hearing.
Ottawa County sheriff's deputies found the body of Vargas, a paramedic, inside the burning car early Monday along Interstate 96 near Grand Rapids. Police say the crash and fire were staged to cover up the slaying.
Spice has been in and out of prison since the 1990s for numerous burglary convictions.
© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
