JACKSON COUNTY MI -- A woman made a grisly discovery at a rural Grass Lake residence early on the morning of Aug. 22 -- the dead bodies of the men who also lived in the house.
Zacharie Scott Borton, 43, has since been charged with murder, accused of fatally shooting three men.
MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot has obtained the woman’s panicked 911 call through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The initial call that alerted authorities to the shooting was made shortly before 5:50 a.m.
In the call, the woman identifies herself as a resident of the home, located in the 4900 block of Fishville Road in Grass Lake Township.
“Someone shot up our house or something -- they both look dead,” the woman told 911.
Three dead in shooting in Grass Lake area, police say
The distressed woman tells police she returned to the home about 15 minutes prior to calling 911. She said she had previously been at a friend’s house for a few hours, and had to travel down the road in order to get cell phone service.
The front door was riddled with bullet holes and a door window was shattered, the woman said. Inside, she found two men who looked “like they’re dead” in the house -- one in the walkway of the front door, and another in the living room.
She said the house was too dark and she was too agitated to observe any other details.
“If I was there, they would have shot me too,” she said.
The woman identified the man on the walkway as 70-year-old Michael Pauli -- a confirmed victim of the shooting. She said she touched his leg, but got no response.
The woman said she believed the man on the living room floor was 80-year-old Delmar Fraley, AKA “Shakey” -- another victim of the shooting.
The woman said she tried to call another man that lives in the home’s basement, whom she called “Zach,” getting no answer.
Pauli’s bedroom door was “wide open,” which the woman said was unusual.
The woman said she was too scared to search the rest of house.
Police eventually found the body of a third victim -- 70-year-old Edward John Kantzler -- on the premises.
The woman said there were at least five people living in the house, with others coming and going on a regular basis. She mentioned a number of people living in a camper on the property, who might have felony warrants to their names.
In the 911 call, the woman says two victims belong to a local motorcycle club.
7
A few days after the bodies were found, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office named Borton as a suspect in the triple homicide. Borton was arrested at his Grand Rapids home on the night of Aug. 23.
Borton was arraigned on Aug. 24 before Jackson County District Judge Joseph Filip on six charges relating to the shooting. The charges include three counts of open murder -- one count for each victim -- as well as auto theft, unauthorized use of a credit card and second offense of felon in possession of a firearm. Each charge of open murder carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
At the arraignment, Assistant Jackson County Prosecutor Meaghan McKeon said the murder charges are backed up by cell phone tracking and photographic evidence.
Grand Rapids man charged with three counts of murder in Jackson County slaying
At a probable cause conference on Friday, Sept. 3, Filip agreed to give attorneys more time to sift through the evidence and postponed the hearing. Borton himself did not appear in court.
Borton was staying at the home of the fatal shooting, and was believed to have left the scene in a vehicle owned by one of the victims, police said previously. The vehicle was recovered along with several guns when Borton was arrested
Borton is no stranger to law enforcement. A registered sex offender, Borton has done prison time for a number of offenses, including car theft and robbery, court records show.
Man accused in triple slaying is a registered sex offender, alleged prison gang member
In 1994, Borton was convicted in Jackson County of car theft, armed robbery and felony firearms, records show. Prior to the felony charges, he was charged with three minor counts of attempted breaking and entering of an automobile in North Carolina.
A year later, in Hillsdale County, he was convicted on counts of unarmed robbery, one count of fraud and one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor between the ages of 13 and 15.
Jackson County Sheriff Gary Schuette confirmed Borton is also affiliated with a prison gang, though it is unclear which gang he is an alleged member of, or if he is still a member, or if it had anything to do with the fatal shootings.
Borton remains at the Jackson County Jail with no bond.
More from the Jackson Citizen Patriot:
Jackson man charged in fatal stabbing is headed to trial
Jackson College pauses 2021-22 volleyball season due to lack of numbers, head coach
Man arrested for fleeing, assaulting Jackson County officer, police say
"triple" - Google News
September 04, 2021 at 07:18PM
https://ift.tt/3n2AufD
‘They both look dead.’ 911 call details scene at Grass Lake triple homicide - MLive.com
"triple" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3dc0blF
https://ift.tt/2WoIFUS
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "‘They both look dead.’ 911 call details scene at Grass Lake triple homicide - MLive.com"
Post a Comment