After fatally beating and strangling his wife during an argument, a man in Hazel Park left his wife's body in bed so he can sleep with her. The wife's demise was discovered by cops a week after she was murdered by her husband. The man is now jailed with a $3.5 million bond.
On Monday, before Hazel Park 43rd District Magistrate Nadine Hatten, the 45-year-old Jeff Charles Sherwood was arraigned on a count of first-degree murder for killing his 64-year-old wife Susan Louise Klepsch.
After checking on them shortly after noon on Saturday a couple who knew the suspect and his wife called the police and reported what they have observed during the visit.
Hazel Park Police Chief Brian Buchholz said that the couple hadn't heard from them in a while so they went in the house. The suspect and his wife were lying in bed and appeared to be sleeping. But as the suspect woke up, he appeared to be incoherent and the couple did not get a response from the victim. Because of that, they were concerned for her and they immediately called the police after walking out of the house.
When the Police and firefighter-paramedics arrived at the home on West Troy Street near Lennox Street a short time later, they found the body of Klepsch on the bed. Without any other suspect, they arrested Sherwood inside the house.
Buccholz also shared that the suspect was acting lethargic and he later admitted to a detective that he had struck, strangled and kicked the victim.
Victim accused perpretartor with of being unfaithful
Police stated that the couple had reportedly been arguing because Klepsch accused the suspect of infidelity and Sherwood fatally attacked her.
Buchholz stated that based on Sherwood's admission, it could have been close to a week since the victim died for it appears that he would get in bed with her when he slept.
After running an autopsy to victims' body, an examiner from Oakland County Medical ruled the death as a homicide and the victim died from a blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
Married since 2018, Klepsch and Sherwood first got in the police's radar in November 2019 when Klepsch reports a domestic violence stating that Sherwood push her down and grabbed her face.
Police also found out that aside from the murder that he committed, Sherwood had a criminal history including convictions for burglary and shoplifting in Florida.
Attempting to kill himself, Sherwood appeared that he took a bit of aspirin and he had cuts on his arms and neck as Buchholz disclose.
The suspect, Sherwood is scheduled to be back in court at 1 p.m. on April 7 for a probable cause hearing to determine whether he will waive his rights to a preliminary examination hearing on the evidence against him or he will seek for it.
But based on the initial investigation by the Hazel Park police, autopsy report and the statement coming from the unnamed couple who checked on them, Sherwood has a high chance of facing a first-degree murder which is punishable by life imprisonment.
