Police question possible witness in Chelsea Bruck murder

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A potential witness, left, and Chelsea Bruck


Investigators in Monroe hope they might be one step closer to solving the 2014 murder of Chelsea Bruck.

They released a photo this afternoon of a potential witness and that man came to the sheriff's office right away.

Chelsea Bruck attended the Halloween Party with hundreds of others on Post Road in Monroe County's Frenchtown Township.

The October 2014 party was the last time Chelsea was seen alive.  Countless searches for her turned up nothing until April 2015 when investigators say fabric from her hand-made Halloween costume of comic villain Poison Ivy with green leaves was recovered in Flat Rock.

Then several weeks later, also April 2015, Chelsea Bruck's body was discovered by men who were trying to free a dump truck stuck in the mud in a wooded area on Briar Hill Road in Monroe County's Ash Township.

Her body was discovered six months after the Halloween Party.  And now the new wrinkle - on Thursday the Monroe County Sheriff asked the public to identify this man in a photo.

Wearing a hooded sweatshirt he was seen at the party as these pictures were taken. Investigators believed he is a new witness who had never been previously interviewed.

"I don't recognize him," said neighbor Dean Lindemann. "I know there was a lot of people at the party. I don't recognize him."

Lindemann lives near the Bruck family farm in Maybee.  It's peaceful quiet country where Chelsea's picture remains on the posters in the front yard of the farm where Chelsea lived with her parents.

"Everybody would still like to see justice brought to the case," Lindemann. "And find the person responsible for it."

Later in the day Thursday the man in the picture at the party stepped forward and was cooperating according to investigators.  Refraining from identifying him they are simply calling him a possible new witness. What does he know? What did he say? Investigators are not sharing.

"I wasn't at the party, I have no idea who he is," said cousin Scott Bruck. “We just want closure for the family. Everywhere you go you see posters, reward money and stuff. After two years you want closure for the memory."

Chelsea's cousin Scott Bruck is hoping they're finally getting close to solving this case.

Police say one of the challenges with investigating a party like that is that a few of the people at the party were under the influence and their memories are fuzzy.

They have interviewed more than 100 people who were at the party.

If you have any information contact the Monroe County Sheriff's Department at (734) 240-7401.