Duo accused of luring man to woods, beating him with bat in Lyon Twp

A brutal attack in Lyon Township is being investigated as a man was beaten with a bat and thrown into a stream to pay off a grudge.

"This was like a bad scene out of a mafia movie," said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.

Christopher Simons and Jessica Kropiewnicki are alleged to have carried out the hit on an unsuspecting victim. 

"There apparently was some grudge against the victim for something else that had occurred - or they felt occurred," Bouchard said. "And they decided to send a message."

They are accused of luring a man to a wooded area off a trail in Lyon Township, beating him with a baseball bat then leaving him in a stream. He's hospitalized with severe injuries, and is said to be in stable condition.

The victim is alive after being discovered by nearby homeowners who came back from vacation and saw a broken porch window. 

"He entered the house looking to get help and passed out," Bouchard said.

The couple didn't want to go on camera, and said they came home on Sunday and found blood throughout the house. The victim was covered in bloody towels, unconscious, but breathing in the bathtub. 

The couple called 911 and he was taken to the hospital. Two days later police had information that a suspect matching the description of Kropiewnicki had been picked up in Livingston County. 

Following the arrest of one is the suspects on unrelated charges, information gained brought investigators back out to a trail in Lyon Township. That area backs up to the house where the man was discovered back on May 5. Once investigators were out there, they found the victim's glasses and ID. The suspect admitted that she and Simons set the whole thing up.

Families hearing the story say it just reinforces the idea that you can never be too careful.

The suspects are being held in jail on assault with intent to murder charges.