6 people found dead in Northern Michigan: What we know
6 dead, one critical in Missaukee County
Detectives from the Michigan State Police (MSP) Cadillac Post worked through the night processing three active crime scenes following the shooting deaths of six individuals, including the suspect, discovered in Missaukee County Friday. As investigators seek a possible motive for the shootings, they have identified the five victims by age and gender though not by relationship to each other at this time. Preliminary timeline of events which is subject to change as investigation progresses: At approximately 11:40 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, troopers were dispatched to a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township for a report of a person who had been shot - a 13-year-old female who was transported to the hospital in critical condition. She remains hospitalized and is now in stable condition. The three deceased individuals found at the South LaChance Road address have been identified as a 45-year-old male, 40-year-old female, and 16-year-old male. The deceased individual located at the second, separate home in Missaukee County has been identified as a 53-year-old male. The individual located in the wooded area near Whitlock Lake, alongside suspect 39-year-old Chad Hickman, has been identified as a 29-year-old female.
CADILLAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan State Police detectives in Cadillac are still working to determine a possible motive after six people were found dead at three locations in northern Michigan on Friday.
What happened in Missaukee County
The backstory:
MSP detectives said troopers were called around 11:40 a.m. Friday to a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township for a reported shooting.
Three people were found dead in the home, and a teenage girl was transported to the hospital. The suspect, identified as a 39-year-old man, left the scene before police arrived, prompting a large-scale search.
During the search, authorities found a fourth victim dead at a separate home in Missaukee County.
A fifth victim was found in a wooded area near Whitlock Lake, police said. The suspect was also found dead.
The victims
What we know:
Here's what we know so far about the victims:
- Five victims have been identified by age and gender.
- A 13-year-old girl was transported to a hospital in critical condition. She remains hospitalized in stable condition, according to police.
- Three people were found dead at a home on South LaChance Road in Lake Township. They were identified as a 45-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy.
- During the search, a fourth victim was found dead at a separate home in Missaukee County. The victim was identified as a 53-year-old man.
- A fifth victim, a 29-year-old woman, was found in a wooded area near Whitlock Lake alongside the suspect, Chad Hickman, police said.
The Suspect
The other side:
Here's what we know about the suspect:
- Police identified the suspect as 39-year-old Chad Hickman. Investigators said Hickman left the scene before police arrived, prompting a large-scale search.
- Chad Hickman, 39, was found dead after a large search in Missaukee County, according to the Associated Press.
- Hickman was convicted in 2024 of misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse, according to court records, cited by the AP. He was sentenced to one year in jail. In the same case, the court dismissed felony assault and criminal sexual conduct charges, the AP reports.
- A man named Tim Penrose, who lives on the street where the 53-year-old man was found dead, stated that Hickman lived in that same house, according to the AP. He also said Hickman frequently harassed him and his wife, though did not elaborate.
Authorities release statement Sunday
What they're saying:
"As we learn more information about the tragic events in Missaukee County, familiar patterns will emerge. Our immediate concern must be for the victims and their loved ones as they grieve," said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald in a statement Sunday. "However, we must also take seriously the gun violence public health crisis, so we can prevent future tragedies and keep our communities safe."
What we don't know:
Police are still investigating to identify a possible motive in the shooting. Michigan State Police also noted that no major updates would be given over the weekend.
The investigation remains ongoing.
The Source: Information from Michigan State Police as well as The Associated Press were used in this report. This story was reported from Eden Prairie, Minnesota.