How to spend $30K? Facebook post leads police to suspect
A Facebook posting wondering how to spend $30,000 helped lead police to identify a Webberville man as the shooter who killed an Iosco Township landscaper known to carry large amounts of cash, a detective testified this morning.
Detective Mark Klein testified that he questioned suspect Anthony Sean Duke up to 10 times after learning about the 2012 Facebook posting, which occurred about one month after the shooting death of Ronald Hauser, who was found dead in the basement of his home in the 11000 block of Roberts Road, near Farmer John's Lane.
"We had what appeared was a potential robbery-homicide scene and (Duke) had $30,000 to spend," the detective said.
District Court Judge Carol Sue Reader will hear more testimony this afternoon in a preliminary exam that is expected to end with her decision on whether Duke should go to Circuit Court for trial.
Thus far, Klein said officers initially responded to Hauser's home on Roberts Road after 10 p.m. Dec. 31, 2011, to find him dead in the basement.
A medical examiner testified that Hauser had been shot once in the chest and police said the shot came from someone standing outside Hauser's home.
"The heart was shredded," Dr. John Bechinski, a forensic pathologist with Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, testified.
Klein said his investigation showed that Hauser was known to carry large amounts of cash in a plastic baggy and a bag was found in his home on a dryer. However, that bag, he said, contained just a credit card.
Klein said it appeared Hauser was shot, fell to the floor and the impact dislodged the backing of one of the two watches he was wearing. The Timex watch stopped at 9:26 Dec. 30, 2011, and Klein said he believed the time referred to the evening hour.
Klein also testified that a man initially believed to be a suspect told him Duke posted a comment on Facebook that was suspicious.
The posting, Klein said, indicated: "What to do?? ... 30K I have to spend."
Klein said he interviewed Duke between five and 10 times and each time he tried to verify Duke's stories, but was not able to in full detail. He said Duke first claimed he was home with his girlfriend, and he only admitted he left to get gas after the girlfriend gave that detail to police.
Klein said Duke also denied researching polygraphs, but investigators found a polygraph manual in Duke's truck and an Internet search including photographs relating to polygraph machines on his girlfriend's computer history.
Duke is charged with two counts of first-degree murder — one count alleges premeditation, and the second alleges it occurred in the course of a home invasion or larceny. Although facing two counts, he can only be convicted of one murder charge, which carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Duke, who is being held without bond in the Livingston County Jail, also is charged with first-degree home invasion, larceny in a building and possession of a firearm — a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun — by a felon. Each count also carries a felony firearms charge, which carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence to be served consecutive to any other conviction.
Lisa Roose-Church is a reporter for the Livingston Daily Press & Argus.