Hunting dog finds remains that may be missing woman killed by husband, MI cops say
Remains believed to be of a woman missing for more than a month were discovered by a hunting dog, Michigan cops say.
The remains discovered in Saginaw County are thought to be of 60-year-old Kelly McWhirter, who was last seen Oct. 14, Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson said in a news briefing Wednesday, Nov. 29.
A hunter and his bird dog came upon the decomposed body Wednesday afternoon, Swanson said. The body had “significant trauma,” and the clothing matched what McWhirter was wearing when she was last seen alive.
“I am encouraged that we are on the right track to give Kelly the closure, dignity and respect that she deserves,” the sheriff said.
Days after McWhirter went missing, Swanson said that the case had evolved into a homicide investigation, despite her body not being found at the time, McClatchy News reported.
The accused suspect was McWhirter’s estranged husband, 57-year-old Steven Higgins, who Swanson said shot and killed himself when he was pulled over by authorities.
At an unknown time in mid-October, McWhirter and Higgins “had a confrontation that involved some type of injury that resulted in significant blood loss,” Swanson told WNEM.
The sheriff said deputies found a “significant amount of blood” in the couple’s Flushing home and in the back of McWhirter’s vehicle, WWJ reported.
Authorities discovered a bloody body bag in Higgins’ truck, as well as a shovel with fresh dirt on the end, WJRT reported, citing a report from the sheriff.
These findings are “the reason why sadly we have switched our focus on we need to find Kelly,” Swanson said before the discovery of the body, McClatchy News reported. “And the person who we believe is responsible for it took his own life and didn’t provide any information.”
Flushing is about 10 miles northwest of Flint.
This story was originally published November 30, 2023 at 2:21 PM with the headline "Hunting dog finds remains that may be missing woman killed by husband, MI cops say."